Before Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in March 2010, the least-insured group in America was adults ages 19-24, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

"Young people sometimes think they're invincible, but it's important for everyone to have insurance," said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, in a post to the White House Blog in September. "One car accident, one slip in a shower or one sudden illness can result in months or even years of health care bills that can bankrupt the average family if that son or daughter is uninsured."

Health and Human Services paired up with the Department of Education in April 2011 to launch an initiative to make sure students are educated about what their new options are under the Affordable Health Care Act and how the recent changes in the country's health care system will affect them.

Letters are being sent to university leaders urging them to spread information about health care to their students, a key part of this initiative.

A new addition under the health care reform is Obama's effort to make birth control universally free in the United States, a provision that will take effect in 2013.

Elon senior Blair Bernstein said this initiative is one that has a direct impact on young women.

"As college-aged women, we work tirelessly to put ourselves in a better position for future success," she said. "I believe the preventive care component allows women to do just that. Now, young women will be given the tools they need to protect their physical health and avoid issues like unwanted pregnancy that may interrupt plans for the future."

Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, has said that preventative care is going to be more expensive and increase federal spending.

"If we're talking about finances and the future of the country, I just think it makes more sense to provide the free medicine, as opposed to the much more immense cost to society if hundreds more babies are being born when their parents can't afford to take care of them," said senior Kristen Van Fleet.

One of the other major provisions of the Affordable Care Act allows young adults to remain on their parents' insurance plan until they reach the age of 26. Previously, a health insurance company could remove a child from his or her parents' plan once becoming an adult, regardless of whether he or she were a full–time student.

"This provision of the Affordable Care Act ensures that those who cannot find jobs, or those that find jobs that do not offer health insurance, will continue to be covered as long as their parents have coverage and are willing to continue to pay for the extra coverage," said Steven Bednar, assistant professor of economics.

According to the Census Bureau, 500,000 more young adults gained health coverage in 2010, an increase Sebelius relates directly to this provision.

"It's comforting to know that if a job opportunity with those benefits doesn't come my way immediately, I have about four years to find one," Bernstein said. "It allows me to consider a wider range of employers right off the bat, rather than having to eliminate some based on a lack of health coverage."

But Bednar said the act will not give employers a real incentive to hire more college graduates.

"If an employer offers health care they must do so to all employees, so recent college graduates will only be a more attractive hire if they opt out of the employer provided health insurance, something I would find to be unlikely," said Bednar.

Van Fleet said she is skeptical about how much this provision will help, as well. She said she feels it will allow her more freedom in her search for employment after graduating, but only for a short period of time.

"I think it's still important to look for jobs with good coverage because once you hit 25 or 26, and you have to be dropped from your parents' plan, you can't be locked into a job with bad coverage or you're in trouble," she said. "So while I agree that it's a nice thing to not have to worry about right away, it's still something I can't let myself get too comfortable with"