Demographic Factors Keep Texas’ Uninsured Percentage High

In the Washington Post (8/16) “Ezra Klein” blog, Sarah Kliff notes that Texas has the “highest percentage of uninsured people in the country”: 26% of its residents have no health coverage, compared with a 17% national average. According to Center for Public Policy Priorities Director Anne Dunkelberg, Texas has led the nation in “percentage of uninsured residents since well before” Gov. Rick Perry (R) took office in 2000. She noted several factors that contribute to the uninsured rate. For one, “many Texas jobs don’t offer insurance”; and the state has a higher number of retail and service, agricultural, and industry jobs, all of which are “less likely to offer health benefits.” Moreover, Texas’ Medicaid program is “relatively limited”; and its insurance rates “are largely unregulated,” making coverage “expensive or unobtainable,” especially for undocumented citizens, older residents, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions.