Young Adults Using More Health Care in Minnesota

Young adults in Minnesota between 20 and 30 years old — often referred to as "young invincibles" because they think they will never get sick or injured — are actually in need of medical care at an increasing rate, according to statistics released by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Overall, this age group’s health care utilization rate has increased 9 percent between 2001 and 2005. Blue Cross examined claims of approximately 150,000 members in this age group.

Twice as likely to be uninsured than the general population

Blue Cross said this age group often lacks health coverage because they are no longer eligible for their parents’ or college plans, aren’t yet established in a career that provides a group health plan, and choose not to buy policies in the face of other financial concerns. "Yet our own medical data tells us young adults are experiencing health conditions that traditionally were more common in older populations, and some of them can be very expensive," said Dr. Keith Folkert, a Blue Cross medical director.

Folkert added that the trend is troubling, given that twice as many young adults are uninsured as the general Minnesota population, 14 percent compared to 7 percent.

Behavioral health problems are fastest growing disease category

The report brief, called "Young adults are using more health care," compares illness and injury among Blue Cross members ages 20 to 30 in 2001 and 2005. Key findings:

• Health care visits per year are increasing. Blue Cross members 20- to 30-years-old averaged 6.5 health care visits per person in 2005, up from 6.0 health care visits per person in 2001, up 9 percent.
• Behavioral health problems account for the fastest growing category of care. The category includes treatment for a wide range of mental health issues. The average number of visits per 20 to 30-year-old-member for these conditions has grown 157 percent between 2001 and 2005. The growth in visits of this type for members of all ages increased 55.9 percent during the same period.
• Back and neck pain are one of the most common problems. Non-injury muscle and joint pain accounts for 326 visits per 1,000 members ages 20 to 30 in 2005, up 69 percent from 2001. That is nearly one visit for every three young adults enrolled.
• Breast cancer is growing rapidly in those 20 to 30-years-of-age.  The average number of visits per 20 to 30-year-old-member for breast cancer has grown 113.6 percent between 2001 and 2005. The growth in visits for breast cancer for members of all ages increased 11.4 percent during the same period.
• Treatment of illnesses or accidents can be financially catastrophic without insurance. A single trip to the emergency room typically costs several hundred dollars. A more serious accident or illness can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and this age group typically doesn’t have a lot of discretionary income. Most comprehensive health insurance policies have a maximum "out-of-pocket" amount that limits personal liability and protects from catastrophic cost.

In response to the growing claims and uninsured rates among 20-30 year olds, Blue Cross created the first product in Minnesota targeted to that age group, called Simply Blue, which was released in December.