Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured people at 25 percent of its population.

It's no wonder the state is constantly spending money to treat illness rather than prevent it.

The single best way to save money on health care is to make strong preventive treatment economically feasible. If people are unable to afford preventive care, they only delay treatment that ends up costing more later.

As budget-minded Texas leaders convene for the 80th Legislature today, they should keep one startling statistic foremost in their minds: Emergency care costs six to seven times more than preventive care.

In Texas, many people don't receive such care because they have little or no health coverage. Their condition — be it diabetes, asthma or high blood pressure — worsens until they end up in the emergency room.

As a result, the entire population shoulders the costs through higher insurance premiums and increased local property taxes.

In fact, 10 percent of patients consume 80 percent of the health care dollars, according to last year's Code Red report on health care in Texas, crafted by a diverse group of health care experts.

By expanding the number of Texans covered by such programs as the Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid, state leaders would provide a significant numer of Texans the opportunity to get needed care early.

Medical experts also recommend a "medical home" for all Texans, so they can receive a broad array of preventive services, such as regular screenings and prenatal care.

This would ensure that patients don't repeatedly and unnecessarily undergo procedures and evaluations, thereby incurring more expense.

An unhealthy population has another economic disadvantage.

Businesses are less willing to move to a state where the population is prone to illness. Unhealthy workers miss more days and cost employers more money in insurance premiums and lost profits than healthy workers.

The Texas population is growing rapidly and, with it, so is the risk of continuing down this unhealthy path.

Now is the time to adjust the state's funding mechanisms. Increasing funds for public health care may hurt at the beginning, but it would be a wise and necessary investment in the future.

We all need to be more responsible for our own health. That means less fast food and more exercise. It means cutting back on sodas and sugared drinks. And it means saying no to all-you-can-eat buffets.

But the Legislature can vastly improve health care in Texas by addressing funding and insurance gaps.

Texas likes to consider itself a leader. There's no better place to demonstrate that leadership than by improving the health of its citizens.