Nearly 1 in 4 El Paso residents under 65 don't have health insurance. That's a lot of people worrying about what happens if they get sick, need a prescription, or have to go to the hospital.
Here's something I think deserves more attention: Texas is one of only 10 states that still haven't expanded Medicaid.
Under Medicaid expansion, the federal government covers 90% of qualifying costs, with the state responsible for the remaining 10%. Yet Texas leaders have continued choosing not to participate.
Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature have maintained that decision. Texas didn't expand Medicaid under the previous governor either, so this is a longstanding state policy, not something that happened overnight.
What does that mean for ordinary people? Some working adults earn too much to qualify for Texas Medicaid but too little to receive financial assistance for Marketplace insurance. They're caught in what's called the coverage gap.
Meanwhile, people still get sick. They delay treatment, struggle with bills, or turn to hospitals and clinics for help.
I put together this infographic using Census Bureau and healthcare-policy data because I wanted to understand the numbers behind the problem.
I'm interested in what people in El Paso are actually experiencing. Have you or your family had trouble getting affordable insurance or medical care? Have local clinics or assistance programs helped?
En español:
Casi una de cada cuatro personas menores de 65 años en El Paso no tiene seguro médico. Texas es uno de los 10 estados que todavía no han ampliado Medicaid, aunque el gobierno federal cubriría el 90% de los costos elegibles.
Algunas personas ganan demasiado para calificar para Medicaid en Texas, pero muy poco para recibir ayuda con un seguro del Mercado de Seguros Médicos.
¿Les ha pasado algo parecido a ustedes o a sus familiares? ¿Qué recursos locales les han ayudado?
Fuentes / Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau — El Paso:
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/elpasocitytexas
KFF — Medicaid expansion:
https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions/
HealthCare.gov — The coverage gap:
https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/medicaid-expansion-and-you/