Thanks to the Center for Public Policy Priorities for bringing our attention to a report showing that Texas ranks third from the bottom in terms of employer-provided health coverage. From the CPPP press release:
A national report shows employer-provided health coverage has been on the decline over the last decade, and Texans are among the Americans least likely to be covered by their job, or by their spouse or parent's job. The report from the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., compares employer-provided health coverage rates for persons under 65 across the states between 2000-01 and 2009-10. While on the decline, however, the report confirms that employer-provided health coverage is still the primary way Americans are covered.
Texas is third worst among the 50 states with only 51.1 percent of our non-elderly population covered by an employer. Texas has the same third-worst state ranking in rates of employer-provided health coverage for its children at 45.1 percent.
The full report can be found here.
This is exactly the type of problem that the Affordable Care Act addresses, and some reforms have already kicked in (or are kicking in soon) - things like rebates, tax credits and other federal dollars to help employers insure their employees. And despite what some of our fearless leaders might say, this report is a reminder that Texas could really use them.
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