By Editorial Board
College students have much at stake in health care reform.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with this claim, this is how some students frame themselves in the debate over reform.
The fact is that this is an extremely essential frame of reference, considering that the legislation on health care puts young adults as both the emerging beneficiaries and funders of any reform.
Being both healthy and strong, college students, on the whole, have little personal experience with financially-crippling illnesses and even less experience in the feats of acquiring health coverage.
Is it any surprise that these factors can lead to an apathetic view about health care reform in general? However, ignorance isn't bliss and none of us will be forever young.
Granted, if you are a full-time student at UP, you have health insurance; Oregon law requires it.
The catch is that whether you are covered by the University's plan or your parents', neither will last.
The question stands, what will you do once you graduate?
If you are counting on getting health care through your employer, keep in mind that despite some optimistic assessments about the recession, job markets are still tight.
Many graduates are grabbing at any jobs they can, whether they be part-time jobs or at small businesses that don't offer health coverage.
Even individual coverage is prohibitively expensive for graduates, who often have little in the way of savings and a lot in the way of debt once they are released from their parents' insurance.
Over half of the nation's adults aged 18 to 34 are uninsured, and chances are many UP students will fall into that percentile at some point.
This is dangerous, because more than half of bankruptcies are health care-related.
Under the health plans before Congress, youths would be required to either get health insurance or face penalties should they refuse.
While mandated health insurance may not jive with youths already strapped for cash, we must all grow up a bit and take responsibility for ourselves. Being insured would be a step in that direction.
If you think all Americans should have access to quality health care, you should care about health care reform.
While young adults supported Obama in huge numbers during last year's election, they have been relatively quiet about his quest for health reform despite the stakes involved.
Boisterous town hall meetings in previous months drew older crowds. Polls show that young adults are ambivalent about the need for reform and are generally paying less attention than their parents and grandparents.
Change only happens when people have the will to make something different. Help your legislator find the will.
Find your senator or representative at the links www.senate.gov and www.house.gov.
If you care, and you should, do something about it.
