Report: 659,000 More Texans Uninsured, Ranking TX Last in US for Health Coverage
For Immediate Release
Contact: Peter Clark, 512-473-2274
Austin - According to a new report from Families USA, an estimated 659,000 Texans — and 5.4 million Americans — became uninsured from February to May as unemployment soared amid the COVID pandemic. The report describes the nationwide numbers as the largest loss of health insurance in the nation's history.
“The loss of health insurance makes it harder for Texans to get timely medical care — whether for COVID or cancer or something else — and harder for Texans to weather the financial strains of losing a job,” said Stacey Pogue, Senior Policy Analyst for Every Texan, formerly known as CPPP. “This report should be a wake-up call for state leaders and Congress.”
The report estimates that 29 percent of Texas adults under age 65 were uninsured as of May, the worst rate in the US. Florida, which has a rate of 25 percent, is second highest after Texas. Texas is one of only eight states with an uninsured rate above 20 percent for non-elderly adults.
Texas already had the nation's worst uninsured rates for adults and children prior to the pandemic. Texas is one of the few remaining states where health insurance is typically not available to grocery store clerks, child care teachers, or other workers below the poverty line if they don't receive insurance from their job or their spouse's job. Under current state policy, with few exceptions, Medicaid is only available to Texas adults if they are pregnant, have a major disability, or are seniors. Subsidies for reduced-price insurance on healthcare.gov are not available to Americans below the poverty line because Medicaid expansion was intended to cover them.
“If state leaders want Texas moms, infants, and toddlers to be healthy, then they need to make health insurance a priority in the state’s COVID strategy,” said Katie Mitten, Health Policy Associate at Texans Care for Children. “To help Texans get through the pandemic and the unemployment crisis, the next legislative session needs to be a health insurance session.”
Health care advocates have called on Governor Abbott and the Legislature to take a number of steps now and during the 2021 legislative session to reduce the uninsured rate, including the following:
During This Summer and Fall
Push Congress for more federal health funding to states (Medicaid FMAP).
Don’t start kicking eligible Texas kids off Medicaid.
Align the state’s health insurance outreach with the realities of COVID to make it easier to help families enroll in health coverage.
Ditch the Health Care Repeal Lawsuit.
During the 2021 Legislative Session
Permanently end the inaccurate mid-year removals of eligible children from Medicaid.
Improve outreach to families regarding children’s health coverage options.
Provide Medicaid health coverage for new moms for 12 months after childbirth rather than leaving them uninsured after two months.
Provide full funding for health services in the state budget.
Expand Medicaid to cover essential workers — such as grocery store workers and child care teachers — and other low-wage Texas adults, including those who have lost jobs or work hours due to COVID.
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