Filipovitch said without the Affordable Care Act, he wouldn’t be able to afford the treatment needed for him to survive.

“I really wanted people to know what’s going on with people like me,” Filipovitch said. “I wanted people to know that repealing the (Affordable Care Act) would kill (people like me).”

The Affordable Care Act, which will have been in effect for two years Friday and allows those 26 years old and younger to be covered on a parent’s health care plan, was one main topic discussed at the roundtable.

Matt Lawrence, national communications coordinator for Young Invincibles, said the organization is traveling to college campuses across the country to hear students’ voices and discuss topics important to them through roundtables such as Wednesday’s.

In June, Young Invincibles will be compiling all the information gained from the roundtables to send to Congress, Lawrence said.

“We’re doing this to show representatives in Washington this is what young Americans are focused on,” Lawrence said. “They’re in need of help. They want to move on with their lives, make sure college is more affordable (and know) they have job opportunities after they graduate.”

History and political science junior Zack Block said students should be more aware of affordable college, job opportunities and health care issues facing that generation.

“It’s critical that we have as many of these types of forums as possible with diverse personality, different student backgrounds and from different schools,” Block said.

However, Block said there are many other issues that affect young people.

“We didn’t even get to renewable energy, climate change and things of (that) nature,” Block said.
“The fact that we spend $700 billion in defense while we spend less in health care (is scary).”

For Block, the discussions held Wednesday are not enough. He hopes the report Young Invincibles sends to Congress will help inspire change and said he believes every student should make sure his or her voice is heard.

“Everybody can talk about these things,” Block said. “But you have to take the extra step and be active about it. You have to protest, rally (and) send letters to your representatives. The only way action can happen is if they feel (politicians) have pressure on them to get something done.”