Texas: Healthy Economy, Unhealthy Children’s Care

Texas is known for its strong economy and business-friendly environment, but a recent ranking by WalletHub shows that it falls short when it comes to the quality of healthcare for children. In fact, the state landed at a disappointing 49 out of 50 in terms of children’s healthcare. Several factors were considered in the ranking, including the percentage of children with excellent/very good health, uninsured children, infant death rate, affordability of medical bills, and availability of pediatricians.

One major issue affecting children’s healthcare in Texas is the high number of uninsured people in the state. This also affects children’s access to healthcare. While approximately 95% of children nationwide are protected by some form of health insurance, the cost of insurance remains a concern for many families. Last spring, more than a million children from low-income families in Texas lost their Medicaid coverage.

When it comes to uninsured children, Texas leads the nation with the highest percentage, while Massachusetts has the lowest. Additionally, Texas has the highest percentage of children with unaffordable medical bills. Rhode Island claims the most affordability in this area. Northeastern states like Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New Jersey ranked among the top five states for children’s health care overall.

Overall, Texas’s ranking highlights the need for improvement in children’s healthcare, particularly in areas such as access, affordability