Uninsured in Texas: A Call to Care

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Uninsured in TexasA Call to Care
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Who Are the Uninsured?
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Employment Characteristics

• 4 out of 5 (82) from working families
• 70 in households with a full-time worker
• 12 in households with a part-time worker
• The poor and near poor (between 100-200 FPL) at
  the greatest risk of being uninsured
• 2/3 of uninsured are low-income individuals or
  from low-income families (less than 200 FPL, or
  28,696 for a family of 3 in 2002)

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Ethnic Diversity

• Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and Uninsured
  (2002)
• 12 of whites, 22 of African-Americans, 20 of
  Asian-Americans, and 34 of Hispanics are
  uninsured
• Families USA report Over a two-year period
  (2001-2002)
• More than half of Hispanics (52.2) were
  uninsured
• Almost 2 out of 5 African-Americans (39.3) were
  uninsured
• Compared to 23.3 of whites

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Age
Age Groups

• 21 of the uninsured are children under age
• 19
• 40 are 19-34 years old
• 31 are 35-54 years old
• 8 are 55-64 years old

Source Kaiser Family Foundation The Uninsured
A Primer (December 2003)
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Income levels

• 36 of the uninsured earn less than 100 FPL
• 28 earn between 100-199 FPL
• 16 earn between 200-299 FPL
• 19 earn 300 and above FPL

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Consequences

• 40 of uninsured adults report postponing care
• 28 needed to seek care but did not due to lack
  of insurance
• Uninsured children
• Are 70 less likely to receive medical care of
  common childhood conditions such as ear
  infections
• Are twice as likely to not have all or some
  immunizations
• Lack of routine preventive check-ups
• Uninsured tend to be sicker and die sooner

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Consequences

• Uninsured women are twice as likely to die of
  breast cancer
• Uninsured men are twice as likely to be diagnosed
  with late stage colon cancer
• The uninsured lack regular access to prescription
  drugs to help manage chronic conditions such as
  hypertension or diabetes
• The uninsured suffer blindness and amputation
  from diabetes - dont have timely exams to follow
  disease
• Having insurance would reduce mortality rates by
• 10-15 (Kaiser Family Foundation - Sicker and
  Poorer Report)

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Financial Implications

• 1 in 4 of the uninsured reported serious problems
  paying medical bills
• Medical bills are a leading cause of bankruptcies

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Jane B., 30-something, Texas Catholic, Uninsured

• Jane and her husband are members of a Catholic
  parish in Texas.
• Jane was laid off from her job six months ago and
  now works two-part time jobs to help make ends
  meet her husband is self-employed.
• The family previously had health insurance
  through Janes former employer, but once she was
  laid off from work, it became too expensive to
  maintain health insurance.

• Recently Jane found a lump, but has avoided going
  to the doctor to have it diagnosed. Even though
  there is a history of cancer in her family, she
  is afraid of the diagnosis and the resulting
  financial impact.

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Regina, Age 3, Texas Catholic, Uninsured

• Regina is a 3-year old with asthma. She was
  covered by the Childrens Health Insurance
  Program. Because she had CHIP, she was able to
  go to the doctor on a regular basis and get the
  medications she needs to manage her chronic
  condition.
• However, since Texas changed the requirements for
  CHIP, Regina is no longer covered. Her parents
  are paying for her doctor visits and
  prescriptions themselves, but fear that Regina
  could have an attack requiring her to be
  hospitalized. They worry about how they would
  pay for the hospital visit.

• Without CHIP coverage, her parents have no other
  resources for Reginas health insurance.
  Reginas parents are hoping to get better jobs
  that will offer health insurance premiums they
  can afford.

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What Can You Do?

• The Catholic Health Association of Texas
  encourages you to
•  
• Become Informed You can begin by becoming more
  informed about the issue of the uninsured.
  Understand that the uninsured are not a
  faceless group of people. They could be our
  neighbors, members of our own family, and our
  fellow church members.
•  
• Volunteer You can volunteer at a local health
  clinic, at a Catholic hospital or social services
  agency and use your time and talents to help
  those in need.
•  
• Community Collaboration You can work with
  others in your community to help address the
  health needs of the poor in your community.
•  
• Impact Public Policy You can talk to your
  elected officials and ask them to continue
  working towards national and state solutions that
  more effectively provide health insurance
  coverage.