Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

We've just elected a new president and Congress, and here in the Lone Star State, our lawmakers convene in just a few short weeks. The question looms: Will these state and federal leaders take action to address some of our nation's most serious ills? And what can we do as individuals to take personal responsibility for our health?

Front and center among the most important issues facing Texas and America today has to be substantive reform of our health care system to ensure health care insurance is affordable and accessible to all.

Pundits, politicians and health care advocates alike have voiced in unison the need to address the health care crisis in our country. And the current economic downturn only exacerbates the problem of the uninsured. Hit by hard economic times, Americans looking to tighten their pocketbooks often forgo preventive care visits and prescription medicines. 

We shouldn't have to choose among gas, food on the table and preventive health care. And nearly 6 million Texans shouldn't have to rely on hospital emergency rooms for basic health care needs.

Here in Texas, a staggering 5.8 million remain uninsured, impacting access to health care even for those who have insurance and the pocketbooks of taxpayers forced to carry the burden at the local and state level. A common myth is that these uninsured are illegal immigrants, homeless or unemployed, but the reality is the bulk of these uninsured are working people or have at least one working family member in the household. And for those fortunate enough to have health insurance coverage, the crisis still reaches us in terms of out-of-pocket costs and quality of care. 

Couple the realities of the lack of access to affordable health care with a Texas population that is rapidly aging, an obesity epidemic that is truly Texas-sized and an ever-increasing prevalence of diabetes in our state, and you'll see that we're set on a collision course. While there is no silver bullet to fix this situation, if we work together and work with our leaders in Texas and Washington, we can affect change. 

There's a certain amount of personal responsibility we all must take for our own health - by not smoking, by exercising, eating well and controlling our weight.

The Texas Hospital Association and its members are ready to work with the Legislature to address the uninsured problem head-on with innovative and common-sense solutions, including:

n Restructure the state's high-risk insurance pool to increase access and affordability for small groups and individuals through state-funded premium subsidies or reinsurance.

n Create tax incentives to make insurance coverage more affordable to small employers.

n Allow parents to cover a child older than age 25 on their plan if they are willing to cover the cost.

n Adequately fund provider rates so costs are not shifted to businesses and individuals with insurance.

n Refine enrollment efforts for the Children's Health Insurance Program so all eligible individuals are covered.

These are just a few ways Texas can address the health care crisis. Certainly, we hope our federal leaders will make sensible reforms, but we can't wait on Washington. 

Nearly nine in 10 Texans favor making health insurance more affordable and accessible, according to a statewide survey by the Texas Hospital Association. And most Texans think a solution is needed now. Let's work together - local communities, health care providers and state lawmakers - to make sure we take immediate action against a crisis that ails us all.

Dr. Dan Stultz, formerly of the Shannon Health System in San Angelo, is president and CEO of the Texas Hospital Association.