- Texas Medical Association: The Uninsured in Texas.
Texas is the uninsured capital of the United States. More than 6.3 million Texans - including 1.2 million children - lack health insurance. Texas' uninsurance rates, 1.5 to 2 times the national average, create significant problems in the financing and delivery of health care to all Texans. Those who lack insurance coverage typically enjoy far-worse health status than their insured counterparts.- Wonkblog: Why Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured people in the U.S.
They cite four reasons. Many Texas jobs don;t offer health insurance. The Medicaid program is relatively limited, generally only the federally mandated minimum coverage is provided. The insurance market is unregulated, which can make it expensive and unobtainable for many potential customers. And many of the uninsured are immigrants, a group which tends to not be insured.- Gallup Poll: Texas Uninsured Rate Drifts Further From Other States.
