Survey Finds Texas Ranks #1 in Those Without Affordable Health Insurance Coverage
[8/14/07]
President Bush is threatening to veto congress’ request for a 50 Billion shift in funding to see that all children in the country have access to low cost heath insurance. In the meantime it may interest him to know that a recent survey found his home state of Texas performing very poorly when it comes to children and adults with access to affordable medical coverage.
In fact according to census data 1 in every 4 residents of Texas do not have health insurance, ranking the Lonestar State Number 1 in the nation with the highest percentage of uninsured. Texas’s 25% of uninsured residents puts it well above the national average of 16%. Here in Texas as across the nation this creates an obvious drain on the states already over burdened healthcare delivery system. Those without affordable health insurance will often forgo care, which leads to bigger problems and greater costs. And when those without medical insurance do seek care it is usually in emergency rooms at the tax payer’s expense.
State Senator Eliot Shapleigh of EL Paso has proposed the first ever Universal Healthcare Insurance plan for Texas. In a bold move his Senate Bill 1911 would provide affordable health insurance benefits to all Texans. The Bill proposes a single payer system that would be created thorough taxpayer monies already collected. After that it would create a Healthcare Authority whose responsibility it would be to administer the costs. However proponents agree that the Bill has very little hope of passing.
A similar Bill is being proposed to create a nationwide Single Payer Universal Healthcare system in congress. Representative John Conyers of Ohio has proposed House Resolution 676. The Bill calls for national affordable health insurance coverage for all American regardless of health or income. However it too faces strong opposition and is not expected to pass.
The reasons why such calls for Universal Heath Insurance face such uphill battles regardless of which side of the political aisle they come from are many. Most believe that the Pharmaceutical and health insurance companies that oppose such single payer health insurance plans are far too strong. Others believe that Americans while realizing we have a problem are not ready for such a radical shift in our traditional healthcare insurance model. Still others believe that the answer to low-cost health insurance for all lies in free market competition among health insurance providers, and not a single payer system.
How this all shakes out remains to be seen, especially as regards the 2008 elections. But in the meantime for those in Texas and elsewhere who are without affordable medical coverage the wait continues.
In fact according to census data 1 in every 4 residents of Texas do not have health insurance, ranking the Lonestar State Number 1 in the nation with the highest percentage of uninsured. Texas’s 25% of uninsured residents puts it well above the national average of 16%. Here in Texas as across the nation this creates an obvious drain on the states already over burdened healthcare delivery system. Those without affordable health insurance will often forgo care, which leads to bigger problems and greater costs. And when those without medical insurance do seek care it is usually in emergency rooms at the tax payer’s expense.
State Senator Eliot Shapleigh of EL Paso has proposed the first ever Universal Healthcare Insurance plan for Texas. In a bold move his Senate Bill 1911 would provide affordable health insurance benefits to all Texans. The Bill proposes a single payer system that would be created thorough taxpayer monies already collected. After that it would create a Healthcare Authority whose responsibility it would be to administer the costs. However proponents agree that the Bill has very little hope of passing.
A similar Bill is being proposed to create a nationwide Single Payer Universal Healthcare system in congress. Representative John Conyers of Ohio has proposed House Resolution 676. The Bill calls for national affordable health insurance coverage for all American regardless of health or income. However it too faces strong opposition and is not expected to pass.
The reasons why such calls for Universal Heath Insurance face such uphill battles regardless of which side of the political aisle they come from are many. Most believe that the Pharmaceutical and health insurance companies that oppose such single payer health insurance plans are far too strong. Others believe that Americans while realizing we have a problem are not ready for such a radical shift in our traditional healthcare insurance model. Still others believe that the answer to low-cost health insurance for all lies in free market competition among health insurance providers, and not a single payer system.
How this all shakes out remains to be seen, especially as regards the 2008 elections. But in the meantime for those in Texas and elsewhere who are without affordable medical coverage the wait continues.
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