Uninsured and Unhealthy: Texas Struggles to Provide Quality Health Care for Children amidst High Costs and Limited Access

Texas is a top-ranking state in terms of its economy and as a business destination, but it falls short when it comes to the quality of health care for children. According to WalletHub, Texas ranks 49th in the nation for children’s health care, with factors including the percentage of children with excellent/very good health, uninsured children, infant-death rate, unaffordable medical bills, overweight and obese children, and pediatricians per capita being taken into account.

One of the key issues in Texas is the high number of uninsured children. The state ranks at the bottom at No. 50 in terms of children’s access to health care. This problem extends from the high rate of uninsured people in the state overall. Nationwide, approximately 95% of children are covered by some form of health insurance, but the cost of insurance remains a concern for many families. In Texas over a million children from low-income families lost their Medicaid coverage last spring exacerbating this issue further.

When it comes to uninsured children, Texas leads the nation while states like Massachusetts have the lowest percentage of minors without insurance. States such as Massachusetts have been able to implement programs that provide affordable or free healthcare coverage to all residents regardless of income level or employment status. This has led to higher rates of insured children and better overall health outcomes for all residents.

Texas also has one of the highest percentages of unaffordable medical bills among states which can be attributed to rising healthcare costs and lack accessibility to healthcare services due to long waiting times or limited availability on certain days or hours which makes it hard for people to afford necessary treatments or surgeries that could improve their quality life and reduce their medical expenses in long term