The Central Texas region is home to a variety of educational and medical facilities, offering residents access to a range of services and opportunities. The region's income distribution reveals that proportionately fewer households in the top quintile compared to Texas as a whole (figure. A strong educational base provides a cornerstone for growth and competitiveness in the global economy. Postsecondary education offers a good return on investment in time and tuition, as well as the opportunity to gain greater job prospects, move up in the workplace, higher salaries, and develop a richer worldview. Central Texas offers a variety of options for superior educational achievement, including four universities, six college and community colleges, and a health science school (see annex).
Residents of Central Texas have access to a variety of hospital services. General hospitals offer a wide range of services and facilities for medical diagnosis and treatment, including surgical services. Special hospitals offer clinical laboratory facilities, X-ray diagnostic facilities, treatment facilities, or other definitive medical treatments (Annex). For a list of centers that offer services other than hospitals, such as rural health clinics, community mental health centers, and maternity centers, visit Texas Health and Human Services. By employment, the largest industrial sectors in Central Texas are education, restaurants, and healthcare.
Grocery stores and schools and universities in the region have experienced significant growth over the past five years (see. Occupations with high levels of employment and relative concentration reflect the industrial composition of the region. Central Texas has a large number of people in work, restaurant and retail occupations. Agricultural and livestock occupations have a high quality index in the region (Graph 1).The Texas Housing Affordability Index (THAI) from the A% 26 million Texas Real Estate Center measures the ability of a household earning the average family income to purchase a middle-priced home.
An index index greater than 1 means that the median household income is greater than the income required to purchase an average home in a specific area. The index's calculations assume that consumers pay an advance of 20 percent and have a family income equivalent to 25 percent of the price of an average home. According to THAI, a family with an average income in the College Station-Bryan, Waco and Killeen-Temple MSAs would have more than the income needed to pay for an average home in the region (Graph 1). While home prices in the Killeen area are more affordable than in the state as a whole, both the Waco and College Station-Bryan areas are on par with those in the state. The state of Texas has 27 commercial service airports that serve passengers.
Three of these commercial service airports are located in Central Texas (Annex 1).Amtrak's interstate passenger rail service covers three routes across the state (Texas Eagle, Heartland Flyer and Sunset Limited). Texans can get direct service to Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Oklahoma City, numerous stops along the way, and connections to the rest of the country. Amtrak stops in Central Texas are in the cities of McGregor and Temple. If Central Texas were a state, it would be the 42nd largest in terms of area and the 43rd in terms of total population. Southern states had the highest rates of medical debt collection; not only does the region have some of the highest state rates of uninsured people in the country, but commercial health plans' exposure to out-of-pocket expenses is also among the highest relative to people's income. The state you live in now determines if you have access to a full range of reproductive health services.
At the same time, policy makers must address the behavioral health crisis, persistent effects of COVID-19, and gaps in the health insurance system that are leaving millions without timely access to affordable care or without protection from medical debt. Affordability, behavioral health care delivery costs and expenses coverage and access COVID-19 government policies 26% of policies health disparities maternal health Medicaid expansion social needs state health policy quality of care are all important factors when considering how North Central Texas compares to other regions when it comes to medical care costs. The increase in coverage occurred unevenly across states; those that chose to expand Medicaid eligibility experienced larger decreases in their rates of uninsured people. During pandemic disruptions delays in preventive and routine care may have contributed to an increase. However, those who worked for small businesses (fewer than 50 employees) had lower proportions with 46.9 percent in Texas and 51.2 percent nationally. In August 2020 Texas had regained some 614,000 jobs from its lowest point during recession in April; about 44 percent of those lost since February. The 58 metrics selected for this report cover performance of health care system representing important dimensions measurable aspects care delivery population. If expansion continues as expected North Carolina will become 41st expansion state (including District Columbia) leaving ten states that have not adopted expansion.
During pandemic maternal deaths rose sharply amid serious disruptions provision health services. In addition state leaders expressed concern about cost taxpayers; nonprofit Foundation Government Accountability estimates (PDF) that per person costs Medicaid expansion exceeded original estimates by 76 percent resulting 157 percent cost overrun.
