Despite the country's progress in health insurance coverage, many Americans are still struggling to pay off their medical debts. This is especially concerning given that racial disparities in the quality of care persist, and pregnant women of color have worse birth-related outcomes even in the same hospitals. To better understand the state of medical care in North Central Texas, we compared the estimated annual cost of health plans with different needs in El Paso County, Texas. We looked at bronze, silver, and gold plans to find the best value for money. The pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to state leaders, leading to an increase in preventable deaths among women.
Delays in preventive and routine care due to disruptions caused by the pandemic may have contributed to this rise. As a result, Texas has the largest coverage gap in the country, affecting approximately 771,000 residents. Each year, the Commonwealth Fund's scoreboard on the performance of state health systems uses the most recent data to assess the functioning of the health system in every state. We also saw variations from state to state in other measures of access to health care that are essential for optimal women's health. These include affordability, behavioral health, care delivery, costs and expenses, coverage and access, COVID-19, government policies, health disparities, maternal health, Medicaid expansion, social needs, and state health policy.
The customer satisfaction index in Texas was slightly below the average in the United States. Uninsured rates declined across most states, even those that had not expanded their Medicaid programs. However, North Central Texas still lags behind other regions when it comes to insurance coverage for medical care. To ensure that all residents have access to quality medical care, it is important for state leaders to continue to monitor and improve upon existing policies. This includes increasing access to preventive care services and addressing racial disparities in care provision. With these efforts, North Central Texas can become a leader in providing quality medical care for all.
