To the editor:

I am preparing to graduate from Kansas University this May, and, as is expected during times of transition, there are endless tasks competing for my attention. I’m walking a fine line between savoring the present and preparing for the changes to come in the quickly approaching future. Beyond job applications and apartment hunting, I’ll be shopping for a new service provider for my phone, I’ll have to start shopping for a car and I’ll need to begin paying back student loans. I feel so fortunate that with all the concerns I have about the future, finding affordable health insurance won’t be one of them.

For many graduates that came before me, the difficulty of comparing health insurance plans was so daunting that going uninsured not only became a suitable option, but a fairly typical one. I’m not in a position to remain on my parents’ health insurance plan for much longer after I graduate, and with the uncertainty of whether or not I’ll land a job that offers me health insurance coverage, I’m very grateful for the Affordable Care Act and the online marketplace.

Twenty percent of young adults are currently without health care insurance, but it is critical to our long-term health and success. Jan. 29 was National Youth Enrollment Day, and so I’m writing to encourage those who have yet to enroll on the marketplace to do so ASAP.

The open enrollment period has been extended to Feb. 15, and I want a secure and healthy graduating class of Jayhawks walking down the hill with me this May.