One of the most popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows young adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance until they turn 26. Recognizing that young adults who have aged-out of foster care also need access to health insurance, and may not have the option of receiving it through their family, the ACA extends Medicaid access to youth who were in foster care, without income requirements, until their 26th birthday.

This Medicaid to 26 provision went into effect in January 2014 and offers access to health insurance coverage to the more than 20,000 youth who age-out of foster care across the country each year. In New York State 1,283 foster care youth aged-out of foster care and were emancipated in 2012. These young adults are particularly in need of health coverage as they transition from foster care into their independent adult lives. It is critical that we reach youth who have aged-out of foster care and help to connect them to this important benefit.

At the Schuyler Center, we are working to ensure that young adults are informed about this benefit. Schuyler Center’s outreach and education material include a brochure with an application checklist, newsletter articles, videos, and just released an Everything You Need to Know guide for youth, as well as a toolkit for providers. Join us in these outreach efforts and use the materials we’ve created to reach youth across New York State! To join us, follow us on Twitter at @SchuylerCenter and find all our materials on our website.[/vc_column_text]