How Many Uninsured Texans Signed Up For Obamacare? Maybe 3 Percent of Those Eligible
The Left often attacks Texas as a holding pen of uninsured people. 5.7 million residents do not have health insurance. Yet only 733,757 signed up for Obamacare. And many of them dropped or lost insurance that they had before Obamacare launched. John Davidson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation figures that maybe only three percent of eligible, uninsured Texans signed up for Obamacare. According to Davidson, “The most likely reason is cost. Premiums on the exchange are significantly higher than average pre-ACA premiums on the individual market in Texas. Although subsidies offset these premium costs for some Texans, those earning about 250 percent of the federal poverty limit (FPL), or $29,175 per year, cannot expect their subsidy to significantly reduce premiums.”
What a sobering number! We have constantly been told by the administration and their cheerleaders that everyone, especially the previously uninsured, would be clamoring to get new, “affordable” healthcare coverage. Yet, that is obviously not what we see. And I agree that the reason more eligible people are not signing up is that the costs are too high.
The costs are too high and expanding Medicaid isn’t sustainable. ObamaCare doesn’t provide any workable solutions. Only 3% of one of the most populated states see value in ObamaCare plans, this should raise red flags.
As my grandpappy used to say “you can lead a horse to water….but that doesn’t make him a duck.”
At least there isn’t an individual mandate to force horses to become ducks…
“you can lead a horse to water….but that doesn’t make him a duck.”
Your grandfather sure had a way with words!
Liberals can attack Texas all they want, but their brainchild of ObamaCare is too expensive for most Texans. If they want to help, how about fixing the plans on the marketplace? They aren’t affordable for Texans!
Texas needs to pay more than slave wages I guess?
So 8 million people are enrolled in ObamaCare plans, yet only 178,000 Texans are enrolled. Where are all the enrollees coming from?
Most of the people signing up for Obamacare were previously insured, and so its not totally surprising that so few of those eligible actually signed up.
However, like Matthew, I’m wondering why there would be a difference between enrollees from Texas versus those from other states.
Price had less to do with it than politics. They bit off there nose to spite Obama and Ted Cruz told them to do so.
More detail here, Kaiser Family Foundation data. Note Kaiser’s total number who enrolled in an exchange plan exactly matches the number shown above, which suggests the data are consistent. Perhaps it will help to see Texas in context with other states.
http://kff.org/health-reform/state-indicator/state-marketplace-statistics/
Ah–Texas, so far from God and so close to Mexico!
No Texan in his right mind would sign up for expensive medical care or health insurance, which costs over 20% more than the care itself, in Texas, when he can make a trip to Mexico, where the same care is available for less than 1/3 what Amerikan providers charged for the same procedures.
An added advantage is that the USSA will have no record of your treatment, no HIPAA invasion of your privacy.
According to Davidson, “The most likely reason is cost. Premiums on the exchange are significantly higher than average pre-ACA premiums on the individual market in Texas. Although subsidies offset these premium costs for some Texans, those earning about 250 percent of the federal poverty limit (FPL), or $29,175 per year, cannot expect their subsidy to significantly reduce premiums.”
What this actually means is that many uninsured Texas do not consider health coverage a priority. Many didn’t consider health insurance worth the money before the ACA; and they certainly haven’t changed their minds. Moreover, many uninsured residents don’t consider coverage to be worth the cost even after taking into account generous subsidies. Indeed, they don’t consider the cost of coverage (net of subsidies) to be worth it even when taking into account the financial penalties for going without coverage.