Greater Houston Partnership

By Steve Brown

When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in March 2010, its authors had states like Texas in mind.

Texas is unique in that it’s the only state that has the most advanced, but least accessible medical systems in the nation (if not world).

The number of uninsured Texans has overwhelmed our healthcare infrastructure and economics for the last two decades.

The ACA reduces skyrocketing health costs by increasing access to health insurance. By doing so, the uninsured would be able to receive quality preventive care to help them manage and early diagnose chronic illness instead of receiving expensive primary care in emergency rooms. The costs associated with uncompensated care are paid for by local tax payers, employers and the insured. One emergency room visit by an uninsured patient costs $1300. Multiply that by 5 million uninsured Texans, and you’ve just stumbled upon Texas’ Health Care crisis.

All Texans would benefit from health care reform – and that includes Texas businesses.