Lege Leaders Call for Studying Ways to Reduce TX Uninsured Rate

The first step towards addressing a problem is acknowledging that it exists.

So we were glad to see that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen recently directed committees at the Texas Legislature to study ways to reduce the uninsured rate.

The instructions were included in the "interim charges" that determine what issues Texas House and Senate committees will consider in hearings over the next year.

The interim charges are a sign that our message is getting through. State leaders are starting to take notice that Texas has the worst uninsured rate in the nation for children, women of childbearing age, and the overall population.

A review of older interim charges confirms that the new legislative instructions are a departure from the past. In the Texas House interim charges from two years ago, four years ago, and six years ago, there isn't a word about reducing the uninsured rate. In the Senate interim charges from 2017-2018 (here and here), 2015-2016 (here), and 2013-2014 (here and here), you will find no mention of the uninsured rate and just one reference to health care for uninsured Texans.

While the new interim charges are a good sign, we will need to keep the pressure on to ensure that health coverage is a priority for the next legislative session. As you know, the Legislature passed zero bills last session to reduce the uninsured rate.

If your state Representative or Senator is on a committee tasked with the issue — the House Insurance Committee and the Senate Business and Commerce Committee — this is a great opportunity to let them know that reducing the uninsured rate is important to you. (And if they aren't on the committees, you can still reach out to them!)

You can also help us keep the momentum going on social media:

We'll be in touch with more opportunities to keep up the fight for health coverage in Texas!