Filling In the Gaps

Part of the health insurance crisis in the US is the large number of Americans who fall through the cracks and don’t have health insurance. It’s the average member of working class, middle America who does not qualify for Medicaid because of income deemed too high. They don’t have employer-sponsored coverage or can’t afford the rates therein or costs to self-insure.

Two states, in particular, are working on aggressive plans to support these segments of the population who do not have health insurance: Massachusetts and Illinois.

Massachusetts is working on legislation to ensure health insurance for every resident in the state. It requires that residents carry health insurance coverage or face penalties. The state plans to offered subsidized plans for those who cannot afford the state plans.

Illinois has a program, implemented in July 2006, to support acquisition of health insurance for every child in the state who does not have coverage. The program also offers subsidies for low income families.

Texas is lagging behind; the state has the highest number of uninsured residents in the US. Minnesota, alternatively, has the smallest proportion of residents without coverage. Whether the Texas legislature has the resources to address this issue in the face of other issues remains to be determined. See local coverage in the Houston Chronicle.

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