With all the healthcare political debate focused on Medicare, the cost of chronic diseases and baby boomer healthcare issues, it's easy to forget about young people and the '08 healthcare vote. But a recent survey of college students' thoughts about healthcare, reported on in The Washington Post, sheds some light. 

The online survey of people 18 to 29 was conducted by journalism grad students at American University. Among the findings: 

• Health care ranks number three among most important issues, behind the economy and Iraq. This is similar to recent findings of surveys of voters of all ages.  
• One-third of respondents said they are unlikely to be able to afford health insurance over the next five years, or are not sure whether they will be able to.

From the Washington Post article: 

"Rosia Warner, a pre-medical studies major at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said that she supports a federal program such as universal healthcare coverage to help the general population.

 

" '[Health care] affects everyone, whether young or old, and ultimately everyone is going to need it,' Warner said."