Health Issues
There's no doubt that Texas is facing a health care crisis:
• Texas has led the nation for two decades in the percentage of our population without health insurance according to the U.S. Census.
• Almost six million Texans—one out of every four people in our state—lack any kind of health insurance.
• Texans have seen health insurance premiums jump forty percent in just five years—ten times faster than Texas household incomes.
• More that eighty percent of uninsured Texans are in working families, and three quarters of them make incomes above 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
Health insurance is too integral to the state’s health care infrastructure to be treated as an optional commodity. In 21st century Texas, the health care system upon which all of us depend can exist only if there is a reliable financing system. No one reform will “fix” our health insurance crisis—we need targeted solutions to bring more payers into the system, ensure affordable access for the most vulnerable, and give our state insurance agency the authority and responsibility to regulate the market so it works for consumers and insurers.
Handouts
Handouts:
Private Health Insurance
Texas Can Do Better: Twenty Years of the Worst Health Insurance Coverage in the US
The American Health Insurance Paradox: Everyone Pays, But Some Aren't Covered
Children's Health: A One Pager -- presented at Health Lobby Day March 09 (pdf)
Cover Texas Now Completed A Series of Town Hall Meetings Across Texas to Discuss Health Care with our Legislators
Throughout the 2008 summer there were a series of town hall meetings organized across Texas to provide a forum for citizens and legislators to engage in dialogue concerning the health care crisis in Texas. Below you will find information on the town hall meetings. 
Thursday, June 12 Houston: Holman Street Baptist Church 6:30pm
Tuesday, July 29 Lubbock: Covenant Presbytarian Chruch 6:30pm
Thursday, August 7 San Antonio: Beacon Hill Presbytarian Church 6:30pm
Tuesday, August 12 Garland: Buckingham United Methodist Church 6:30pm
Saturday, August 23 Fort Worth: McDonald Community YMCA 10:00am
Tuesday, September 2 Houston: St. Paul's Methodist Church 6:30pm
Monday, September 15 El Paso: El Paso Public Library Auditorium 7:00pm
Thursday, September 16 Austin: First Baptist Church Downtown 6:30pm
Texas Impact's Comments on the Sunset Staff Report on TDI
Following are the comments Texas Impact submitted in response to the Sunset Commission staff's report on the Texas Department of Insurance and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel.
The formal public comment period on the staff report ended June 9, although members of the public are encouraged to provide comments and suggestions throughout the Sunset process. The public hearing on the Texas Department of Insurance will be held June 24 in Austin in the House Appropriations Committee Room (E1.030) in the Capitol Extension.
Texas Impact appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and Office of Public Insurance Council (OPIC) Sunset Staff Report. We had the opportunity to meet with Sunset staff during their review process, and we appreciate the time the staff took to gather information and perspectives from a variety of sources.
As an interfaith organization advancing a religiously based concern for justice, Texas Impact is most interested in TDI’s regulation of health insurance. While we realize that the overarching problem of lack of health insurance is beyond the scope of the Sunset staff’s report, we wish that the report had given more consideration to the role TDI’s structure and mission could play in generating possibilities for new and creative approaches to improving the private health insurance market in Texas.
Improving the private insurance market would not by itself lead to universal health insurance in Texas, but it would help. Currently, more than 5.5 million Texans lack health insurance and less than 50 percent of Texans have employer-sponsored insurance. If Texas simply rose to the national average for employer-sponsored coverage, one million additional Texans would be insured–about 20 percent of our current uninsured population.
We believe TDI’s minimal involvement in health insurance contributes to a public perception that the state’s social service agencies are the “go-to” agencies for individuals needing health insurance. We submit it would be preferable if most Texans could expect to obtain health insurance through the private market and could rely on TDI to provide the information and guidance they need to navigate the market successfully.
TDI’s self-evaluation report includes a recommendation that the Legislature establish a new health insurance division within the agency. Such a division could provide information to individuals and small businesses, and could work with the Legislature and insurers to develop programs that would help meet the health insurance needs of the millions of Texans (and their employers) who want to purchase health insurance, can afford to pay a reasonable premium, but face any of a number of roadblocks that either leave them uninsured or funnel them into a publicly funded program. Although Sunset staff did not pick up on the recommendation to create a new health insurance division at TDI, we believe it reflects practicality and innovation on the part of TDI staff and we encourage the Commission to give it favorable consideration.
We also encourage the Commission to amend TDI’s mission to reflect more balance between consumer interests and the need to maintain a “level playing field” for the insurance industry. Texas Impact has researched the mission statements of many other state insurance regulatory agencies and we find that a number of other states articulate insurance agency missions that include consumer protection. Texas Impact suggests the following as a starting point for an improved mission statement for TDI:
The mission of the Texas Department of Insurance is to maintain healthy insurance markets in Texas by protecting and assisting consumers, providing fair but vigilant regulation, and promoting a stable and competitive environment for insurers.
Texas Impact disagrees with the Sunset staff recommendation to fold OPIC into TDI, but we agree with the Sunset staff that any decisions about OPIC need to be made in the context of decisions about insurance regulatory policy. Regardless of the eventual disposition of OPIC, Texas Impact sees a need for a clear distinction between the provision of information and assistance to prospective insurance consumers on the one hand, and advocacy for consumers in conflicts involving the insurance industry on the other.
Again, thank you for your work and for the opportunity to participate in Texas’ unique and vibrant Sunset review process.
June 17, 2008
Texas Can Do Better Than This!
While the Texas Department of Insurance is currently under Sunset Review, Texas Impact has released a two page educational handout addressing the fact that for twenty consecutive years Texas has had the worst health insurance coverage in the Nation. This handout focuses on issues related to the employer and individual health insurance market. It is intended to provide you with a general understanding of what can be done to address the Texas health insurance crisis, serve as a spring board into learning more, and provide a list of talking points for you to share with your legislators.
No one tells your story better than you!
If you would like information on how to set up a visit with your Legislator,
Call or E-mail Emily with Texas Impact
281-814-3063
The Sunset Review Process is a public forum. Click here to find out How you can Participate.
June 19, 2008
In The NEWS...
At a press conference at the Capitol yesterday, Four public interest groups unveiled a campaign to expand Texans' ability to buy private health insurance. The group announced it's statewide public outreach campaign to engage working Texans in the public policy debate around health care.
Texas ACORN, Texas Public Interest Research Group, Texas Legal Services, and Texas Impact will host a series of town hall meetings around the state to discuss the need to improve access to quality, affordable health care. This campaign corresponds to the Sunset Commission's hearing on the Texas Department of Insurance, which gives a rare opportunity for significant improvements in Texas' private health insurance market.
Click on these NEWS links to read more:
The Quorum Report (Click "Daily Buzz")
The first town hall meeting, which took place in Houston on June 12th, was a great success. For those that were unable to make it to this event, several other meetings will take place around the state throughout the summer and into the fall. Here is the current schedule
Lubbock: July 29th Covenant Presbytarian Church
Garland: August 12th Buckingham United Methodist Church
Rio Grande Valley: September 9th Location to be announced
Other dates and locations are coming soon! Please check back regularly.
July 3, 2008
The Texas Health Law Project is ready to help you
Having insurance troubles? If you are being denied payment and/or treatment by you current insurance company or experiencing trouble qualifying for a health insurance plan, Texas Legal Services Center can help.
Click here to learn more about their Texas Health Law Project.
August 20, 2008
US Census Bureau Confirms Texas Has the Worst Uninsured Rate in the Nation for 20 Years Running
This week the US Census Bureau released the results of its latest Population Survey, showing that Texas continues to have the highest uninsured rate in the nation with nearly one out of every four Texans uninsured. Texas at 24.8% is one of 18 states with uninsured rates higher than the national average of 15.5%. (See Graph Below)
While the uninsured rate nationally declined from 47 million in 2006 to 45.5 million in 2007, the Census Bureau reported that the increase was due to increased participation in government insurance programs, especially increased participation in government programs for children like CHIP. Percentages of Americans participating in private insurance plans and employer-sponsored plans declined from 2006 to 2007.
Texas can do better. It's time to urge your state legislators to make healthcare a serious priority as we move towards Texas's 81st Legislative Session beginning this January.
For the complete Current Population Survey report, summaries and highlights, visit
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/news_conferences/012515.html
September 3, 2008
"Critical Condition" Airs Tonight on PBS at 8:00pm
The popular PBS Series, Point of View, is releasing their much anticipated documentary on the national healthcare crisis tonight (September 30) at 8:00pm central time. Focused on the personal stories of four American families, "Critical Condition" is a non-partisan look at America's broken health care system and the impact it is having on American lives, businesses, and the ailing economy.
With Texas having the worst uninsured problem in the nation for twenty consecutive years, it comes as no surprise that one of the families showcased in the documentary is a Texas family.
While the national debate over health care continues in Washington, more people must chose to or are forced to go without health insurance and the increasing cost of this broken system presents a serious threat to the stability of the U.S. Economy.
As the Texas Legislature begins it's 81st Session this January, Texas has a unique opportunity to speed up the solution process by making sure their legislators are talking about the health care crisis and the impact it is having on Texans.
HOST A SCREENING of "Critical Condition" at your church, synagogue, or temple.
More information on the Texas health care crisis and how you can participate in the solution.
September 30, 2008
The Sunset Commission Makes Recommendations on TDI and OPIC
The Sunset Advisory Commission met Wednesday, September 24, to make recommendations on Sunset issues for the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC). The Commission considered the Sunset staff recommendations (released in May), the public testimony on those recommendations in June, and public comments.
Health care reforms in the past three sessions have primarily focused on public programs like CHIP and Medicaid. The decennial Sunset Review of TDI offers a unique opportunity for lawmakers to focus on health insurance reforms in the private market. (Click here the most recent Texas uninsured statistics) Cover Texas Now is disappointed that the Sunset Commission punted its current opportunity to strengthen the health insurance market. However, it is clear that the preliminary discussion around the sunset review process has elevated health insurance issues to be addressed in the House and Senate in the 81st Session.
Cover Texas Now, along with a coalition of other public interest groups, supported three key changes to the Sunset Staff report: Strengthen TDI’s rate oversight authority, prioritize consumer protections by redrafting the mission statement of TDI and strengthening the role of OPIC, focus on health insurance solutions through the development of a health innovations center within TDI. (Further explanation of these recommendations can be found in our report “A New Diagnosis”)
Representative McClendon offered two proposals to the commission. The first addressed a concern that the agencies mission statement does not express a clear responsibility to protect and serve consumers. The second proposal addressed making health insurance a priority by developing a center within TDI to focus on health insurance solutions. The Commission did not vote to include these items in the sunset bill but agreed to draft a letter commending the proposals to the chairs of relevant legislative committees. Senator Deuell proposed recommendations to strengthen health insurance rate regulation. The Commission voted not to include the recommendations in the sunset bill, but members agreed that a full discussion of rate regulation should occur on the House and Senate floor during session. Senator Deuell said he would file his recommendations as bills. The recommendation by the Sunset Staff to abolish OPIC was overturned by a unanimous vote from the Commission.
What Happens Next:
Now that the Sunset Commission has made its final recommendations on TDI and OPIC to the Sunset Staff, the Sunset Staff and Legislative Council will work together to draft the Commissions recommendations into an “introduce version” of the bill. As two separate government agencies there will be a separate sunset bill for both TDI and OPIC. However, since their agency functions are inherently linked they will likely be sponsored together. All sunset bills must be presented to the House and Senate. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Commission will work with legislative leadership to identify a legislator from both the House and the Senate to sponsor the bill. When sponsors have been identified, the Sunset Staff will partner with the sponsors to carry the bill through the remainder of the legislative process. Legislative leadership will likely commend the bill to the Insurance Committee in the House and the Government Organization, Business and Commerce, or Health Services Committees in the Senate. By the time the bill comes out of committee, amended, and eventually passed, the House and Senate versions are likely to be different resulting in the bill going to conference until receiving approval from both bodies.
What You Can Do:
Schedule a Visit with your Legislators- It is very important that legislators go into the 81st Session knowing that health care and health insurance are an important concern of their constituents.
Host a Screening and discussion of the PBS Film “Critical Condition” at your home, church, synagogue, or temple
Sign the Cover Texas Now Post Card and encourage your friends and family to sign. Packages of post cards and educational materials for you to hand out to others or bring to your group are available at no cost.
Share your Story- Fill out our online story collection form so we can share your story with legislators and their staff. (coming soon)
Testify- While the bill is in committee it will be open to public testimony. Call us to find out how.
Write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper.
Vote!
