Texas losing employer-based health insurance faster than national average
October 13, 2008
Over the past six years, Texas workers have lost employer-sponsored health insurance coverage at a rate greater than the national average, according to a new report.
Written by The Austin Business Journal, The Austin Business Journal
Over the past six years, Texas workers have lost employer-sponsored health insurance coverage at a rate greater than the national average, according to a new report.
The report from Washington D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute found that 62 percent of Texas workers had employer-provided coverage in 2006- 2007, down 4.7 percent from 2000-2001.
Nationally, the decline was 3.5 percent, the report found.
South Carolina had the biggest drop in coverage at 7.6 percent followed by Colorado at 7.2 percent.
The study also found some 217,000 fewer children are receiving employer-based health care in the state, a drop of 7.4 percent. That’s faster than the 5.6 percent national decline.
EPI economist Elise Gould says the decline of employer health care is likely to continue in 2008, due to the economic downturn and health care cost increases that continue to drive up insurance rates and affect small businesses.
“The health care problem has reached a critical level,” Gould says. “Bold new solutions need to be considered to address the growing crisis.”
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