Texas Last in Nation in Health Insurance
More Texans are uninsured than in any other state in the nation. Photo courtesy flickr.com/thomashawk/Texas continues to have the highest rate of uninsured residents among the 50 states. Census data released today shows that 23.8 percent of Texans, or 6.1 million, don’t have health coverage.
The figures are part of research by the U.S. Census Bureau that details poverty rates throughout the nation.
Francis Deviney at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a progressive state policy think tank, says studies have shown children’s brain development can be harmed by the stress of poverty. But those risks can be minimized by state programs that focus on healthy development.
“Like our food stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” Deviney said. “Like child care subsidies, making sure children are in good quality education settings, and children’s health insurance through the Children’s Health Insurance Program or Medicaid.”
More than 17 percent of Texans live at or below the poverty line. That’s about 4.5 million people. The Census Bureau will release an accompanying study next week with more localized information.
