Ari A. Matusiak's blog

Ari Matusiak is co-founder of Young Invincibles, a national campaign engaging young Americans between the ages of 18 to 34 in the health care reform debate and advocating on their behalf. www.YoungInvincibles.org.

Before Senator Kennedy passed away, he penned a letter to President Obama. It was a reflection on health care reform, “that great unfinished business of our society” and the cause of his life. He concluded that providing every American with quality and affordable health care was nothing less than a moral issue, one that spoke to the very “character of our country.”

Today, the question is whether the election in Massachusetts to replace Senator Kennedy penned the end of health care reform, or whether a Presidential summit will mark the beginning of a renewed push to pass the bill. If you believe the pundits and some elected officials, America has spoken: it is time to slow down, scale back or move on entirely.

But that is not what America is saying.

One year ago, two million people came to Washington to witness President Obama’s inauguration. They traveled from all over America and represented every color, creed and station in life. They were there to ratify a new direction for our country, one that recalled our better history, aspired to our full promise and laid the foundation for long-term prosperity. They were there aware of the challenges ahead, but filled with hope, expectation and a belief in change nonetheless.

Many of the people on the Mall were young Americans, a generation that embraced that spirit and conviction and made Barack Obama President. When there were setbacks during the campaign, we did not quit. We did not lower our sights. We doubled down, gave more and fought harder. There was too much to gain.

One special election in Massachusetts did not change all of that. Yes, some things are different from one year ago. The Democrats, who began this Congress with 58 seats in the Senate, not 60, now have 59, the largest majority either party has had in the upper chamber since 1979. The mood of the country is anxious. A bipartisan summit on reform looms.

But more things have stayed the same. There are still over 50 million Americans who do not have health insurance, living in fear of getting sick or living in pain because they already are. There are still 14,000 Americans who lose their coverage every day, many of them because they have lost their jobs in this recession. There are still millions of Americans who cannot get insurance in the first place because of a so-called “pre-existing condition.” It is still a broken system that determines access to care based on what job you hold or what income you have. It is still one that disproportionately impacts young Americans, the largest group of uninsured in the country.

The election in Massachusetts was not a referendum on health care reform. How could it have been? Massachusetts is the one state that provides universal coverage. It is a system that 68 percent of its residents support and is the model for the current reform efforts in Washington. No. The election in Massachusetts was a referendum on the status quo: an expression of frustration one year later with the pace of change. That is why independents and some Democrats went the other direction. That is why 85 percent of young voters stayed home.

Change is not easy. It comes only as a result of persistent struggle, unwavering conviction and a willingness to take risk. That is its character. In 2008, young Americans fought for this moment – this chance to make change. We believed we were sending leadership to Washington with the character to persist, stand strong and deliver for us all.

We are still waiting. What happens now on health care reform will determine whether that belief was justified. The next step cannot be incrementalism. It certainly cannot be the deathly silence that has pervaded the issue the past few weeks. The process – be it a summit, a bipartisan negotiation or reconciliation – is the means, not the end. We want results.

This is not the time to slow down or scale back. This is the time to double down, give more and fight harder. This is the time for leadership. Open discussion and debate must come with urgency and commitment. What we do now will define the character of our country. It will determine whether we have the character to deliver on change. One year ago, young Americans believed we had it. Now is the time for Washington to prove us right.

I am writing to introduce a new campaign for health care reform: Young Invincibles.

Not too long ago, health care reform seemed like a done deal. People in Washington were talking about wrapping up the issue before recess. The President seemed unstoppable. The Congressional leadership appeared to be in line.

It seems like a lifetime ago now.

From the town hall outbursts to the never-ending coverage of Washington intrigue, the conversation on health care in America has been overwhelmed by the spectacle of reform. The substance of reform - the tens of millions of Americans without insurance or on the verge of losing what little coverage they do have - has been all but forgotten.

We need to change that. And it is our belief that young Americans are the ones to do it. Young Invincibles is a new campaign of 18- to 34-year-olds committed to securing quality, affordable health care for all Americans. We started this campaign because we recognized that our generation was not being engaged in the current health care debate. The generation that fought for the "chance to make change" was not being called on to see its moment through.

But the health care crisis in America is our crisis.

Over half of all Americans ages 18 to 34 are overweight or obese. Fifteen percent suffer from chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, cancer, hypertension or heart disease. Over thirteen million are uninsured, representing one-third of the total uninsured population in the country. We are less likely to be eligible for an employer sponsored health plan, more likely to change jobs and lose coverage during a life transition, and most at risk of going into crippling, life-altering debt after getting sick or injured while uninsured.

It is time for us to make our voices heard in this debate. Over the coming weeks, Young Invincibles will educate young Americans about the health care crisis, grow our membership, and share the stories of young people who have suffered needlessly and noiselessly at the hands of a system that does not work. And we will mobilize our generation to let Congress know that the time for health care reform is now.

We believe that engaging young Americans in this debate can help push health care reform over the top. And that is what we intend to do. You will be hearing a lot from us before the final votes in Washington are called. It is time for us to be heard from again. Change simply can't wait.

Join us.

Ari A. Matusiak is co-founder of Young Invincibles. He can be reached at ari [dot] matusiak [at] gmail [dot] com.