The 26 year old age was determined statistically in large part, that a large percentage of young people between 18 and 26 had no health insurance, in part because jobs that young people are getting these days often don’t have health insurance. With kids going to college the cost under the school is often a lot more expensive then the differential in cost on the parent’s plan having the kid on there as well. I think it reflected the notion that young people starting out should have medical care if they need it that doesn’t end up in the emergency room. Among other things, young people in that age group are some of the most likely to end up at ER’s when they get sick outside the very poor.