Almost two thirds of Texans say they skipped or postponed some form of medical care in the past year because of cost
Texas – According to the most recent annual poll from the Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF), Texas’ high cost of healthcare still keeps residents from getting required medical treatment. The poll reveals a continuing healthcare affordability and access crises across the state, with almost two-thirds of Texans skipping or postponing medical treatment in last year due to financial restrictions.
The EHF poll, which seeks to shed light on health policy, affordability, and access issues in Texas, has tracked this troubling trend over the years. Cost concerns have caused 64% of Texans to postpone or avoid necessary medical treatments like check-ups, testing, medication refills, dental care. Although this number shows an improvement from the peak of 68% last year, for many people it still highlights a major obstacle to healthcare.
Dr. Ann Barnes, president and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, emphasizes the severity of the situation.
“Texans are telling us about their struggles to find affordable health care – especially those facing the most barriers to good health,” says Dr. Ann Barnes. “The bottom line is that opportunities to be healthy are not equal across all populations in Texas.”
Financial hardships from medical bills
Texas’ healthcare cost consequences go beyond delayed treatment. The EHF’s findings also show that nearly four in ten Texans (37%) have had difficulties paying medical bills, a slight decrease from 43% last year. This financial strain is more acute among lower-income, Black, and Hispanic Texans, as well as younger adults.
Among Black, Hispanic, lower-income Texans as well as younger folks, this financial load can be especially severe.
Furthermore, almost half of the poll participants (47%), found it difficult generally to afford healthcare. The differences among ethnic and wealth levels are rather clear: In comparison to 30% of higher incomes, 62% of low-income Texans find difficulty paying for healthcare. Compared to 38% of White Texans, 61% of Hispanic and 44% of Black Texans find it more challenging to afford healthcare.
Regarding state activities in the field of healthcare, public opinion tends to be critical. The study shows that 68% of Texans feel the state has not done enough to guarantee low-income individuals have access to the necessary healthcare. Furthermore, more than half of the respondents believe Texas is not giving pregnant women (50%) or children (57%), required treatment.
Dr. Barnes cites successful legislative initiatives include HB12, which expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage in Texas from two months to a full year. She said this is a vital first step in closing the healthcare accessibility disparity for millions of Texans, especially since Medicaid pays half of all births in the state.
The push for Medicaid expansion
Strong support for extending Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act is also revealed by the poll; 71% of Texans approve the extension to more low-income residents. Texas remains one of only ten states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion under the ACA. Dr. Barnes emphasizes the need of affordable healthcare options, citing the record 3.2 million Texans who registered in ACA plans this year because of government subsidies that maintained low rates of premiums.
With 14% of Texans without a consistent source of care, the poll also highlighted areas of poor access to primary healthcare. Those without health insurance (35%) and those with lower incomes (21%) notably show this problem; many of them depend on emergency departments for regular treatment.
Findings of a recent study makes the situation even worse
Texas comes in third-worst state in the United States for health care access according to a recent Forbes Advisor analysis. Combining information from organizations such the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Census Bureau, the study exposes startling difficulties for Lone Star State citizens looking for medical treatment.
Researchers gave every state an overall accessibility score using 14 important variables, including the percentage of the population without health insurance and the number of hospital beds per 1,000 residents. With a score of 92.15, Texas trailed behind Utah (100) and Nevada (93.08) for the dubious distinction of inadequate access to health care.
Important study results point to major problems in Texas, most notably its highest number of citizens without health insurance—16.6%. Further underlining the financial constraints on health care in the state, 16% of Texans said they couldn’t afford a doctor’s visit. Texas’s low ranking results from a mix of low insurance coverage and high prices.
For further insights and a detailed breakdown of the metrics used in the study, interested readers can visit the Forbes Advisor study site.
The top ten states with the least accessible health care, according to the study, are:
- Utah — 100
- Nevada — 93.08
- Texas — 92.15
- Arizona — 92.11
- Georgia — 88.52
- South Carolina — 83.29
- Indiana — 79.16
- Wyoming — 78.06
- Idaho — 75.23
- North Carolina — 71.90
The findings from Forbes Advisor’s study call attention to the ongoing challenges and disparities in health care accessibility across the U.S., with Texas notably near the forefront of this national issue.