As a student at UW-Madison, I’ve heard people talk about whether they really need health insurance. They’re young and think they’re invincible, so why pay for coverage they won’t use? Unfortunately, I know how important it is to have health insurance, and I encourage anyone thinking of going without it to think twice.

My mom was diagnosed with colon cancer six years ago. She went through a grueling series of surgeries and treatments as doctors tried to save her. After a 30-month battle, the disease took her life. Losing her was devastating, but she was fortunate to have insurance that gave her access to health care and a fighting chance to survive.

Following her death, I had a hard time staying covered. I had put college on hold to deal with her illness, and when I returned to Madison to resume classes, I had to take out loans to afford a health plan. I didn’t know much about the coverage, including whether it would pay for treatment if I developed cancer, but I knew I had to do everything I could to have health insurance.

Cancer strikes 1 out of every 2 men and 1 out of every 3 women in their lifetime. But having health insurance can determine whether or not you beat the disease. New American Cancer Society research shows that uninsured young adults have a higher chance than those with insurance of being diagnosed with late-stage cancer, which is harder to treat and more difficult to survive than cancer caught early. The study found that uninsured men between the ages of 15 and 39 were 1.5 times as likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancer, and uninsured women in that age range were almost twice as likely. I never want to play those odds.

Fortunately, the new health care law known as the Affordable Care Act is making quality health coverage easier to find and afford. Uninsured people can buy plans on online exchanges through March 31. The plans must cover colonoscopies, mammograms and other screening tests at little or no cost to patients, as well as the treatment needed to fight a disease like cancer. People with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, or even a heightened risk of cancer, can’t be charged higher premiums because of their health history. And people with low or moderate incomes could be eligible for financial assistance to help with the costs.

I visited the exchange in my home state of Minnesota and found that I qualified for coverage through the state’s Medicaid program. I am fortunate Minnesota decided to use federal funds made available by the new law to cover uninsured low-income people like my younger brother and me. My father bought a private plan and will receive federal tax credits that make it more affordable for him.

Because of the new law, my family and I have the security of knowing we are covered. I’m still young, but I know I’m not invincible. No one is. I encourage my peers who think they don’t need coverage to think again and get insurance. Doing so could be the difference between life and death.

Caitlin DeVos ([email protected]) is a senior and a volunteer for the American Cancer Society. 

[Photo from Flickr user Alliance for Retired Americans.]