In Texas, Lack of health insurance affects parents

Health coverage for the family helps to help families obtain health services more accessible, says a report by the Henry J. Family Foundation Kaiser. The Foundation, which bases its report on the 2005 Low-Income Coverage and Access Survey, makes the argument that not having health insurance is not just about the health of a parent, but also the welfare of the whole family.

The vast majority of uninsured low-income parents, according to the report, are without access to health coverage. At the same time, their children are also more likely to be without health insurance. In fact, four out of 10 parents with low incomes, defined as those with income below 200% of federal poverty level (about $ 40,000 for a family of four in 2007) do not have health insurance coverage.

Throughout Texas, and especially in cities like Dallas, Houston and Austin, the percentage of uninsured residents is higher than any other state - more than 24%, according to many observers, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The Kaiser Family Foundation report also states that most parents of uninsured low-income working families, but employment in the sectors of the economy, which generally do not offer health coverage. The sectors include construction, service and agricultural jobs, areas with lower levels of employer-sponsored insurance. The U.S. Census Bureau indicate that only about 25% of low income workers in these industries were covered through an employer sponsored plan in 2005.

Workers without health insurance are more likely to work for companies with fewer than 25 employees, these companies are less likely to provide cover for the employer.

More than half of uninsured low-income parents in the families of the workers work for companies that do not offer coverage to all employees. Moreover, they do not have coverage through a spouse. Furthermore, an additional 35% of uninsured low-income parents are not eligible for coverage either through their employer or the employer of the spouse, either because they have been used long enough or do not work enough hours to cover.

Only 13% of uninsured low-income parents have access to employer coverage, the report says Kaiser. At the same time, the cover that is available is too expensive for most of the parents afford.

Although many children are in families where they would be eligible for State Children's Health Program of insurance, there are concerns broader knowledge of the programs - only 47% say they have heard of SCHIP.

Research, the report says Kaiser, has documented the importance of family coverage as a tool to reach uninsured children and to improve access to health care.

The uninsured low-income parents often have serious health problems, the report says Kaiser. Unfortunately, the financial barriers block access to care.
More than a quarter of parents to uninsured low-income families say they have fair or poor health, with 14% saying that the experience of pain almost every day and 8% reporting that they have a disability that prevents them to participate fully in work or other activities. Nearly half of uninsured parents, Kaiser says the report, say they have a chronic condition, leading to the risk of not receiving their care with worse health outcomes than those with similar health conditions that do not have health insurance .

While uninsured low-income parents have serious health problems, the report says Kaiser that their conditions are far worse than those with insured parents. The uninsured low-income parents, for example, are half as likely to have visited a doctor for preventive care in the last 12 months. Moreover, the homeless or regular preventive medical care may delay the processing in the early stages of a condition, allowing the condition to worsen and can lead to a more expensive treatment later.

The Kaiser report also states that the lack of care due to serious health and financial consequences for uninsured low-income parents, with 60% saying they had seen their condition worsen as a result of not receiving timely care and 30% report a loss of time from work or other activities.

As the report summarizes Kaiser health insurance for low income parents not only affects their health and access to care, but also the welfare of their families. When parents have health insurance, their children are more likely to be covered as well, giving them access to health care.

Few would argue that having health insurance is an important factor in their overall success in life .......