The "YoungInvincibles" is an ironic demographic designation for young people who think they will never get sick, will never buy health insurance and will therefore bring downObamacare.
But CristinaCalvillo-Rivera, representing the actual Young Invincibles organization, says Florida's 300,000 people of ages 18 through 34 do want care, are less likely to get it, and more likely to have medical debt.
Katharine Huddlestunof Miami is one of those people. A second year law student at FIU, she got a year's worth of assistance with her psoriasis medication from the manufacturer. But that year is up now.
"Without it, my life is nowhere near what it is today," she says. "It basically saved my life."
Doctors and nurses from Jackson Health Systems will also be stalking the Capitol hallways this week, trying to protect their hospital from the big expense of treating uninsured patients who would otherwise have Medicaid.
Tampa physician Dennis Deruelle has already lobbied a powerful Medicaid expansion opponent, State Representative Jason Brodeur.
"I said that you have to do something. You have a bill before you that can help patients that are so in need," he says.
The Medicaid expansion dispute between the House and the Senate, which supports it, now threatens the budget and the Legislature's scheduled adjournment date.
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