Texas Healthcare Reform Initiatives

Texas Healthcare Reform Initiatives
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Introduction
Texas has an estimated population of about 24 million people making it the second largest state as well as the one with the population which is fastest growing numerically in the country. Hence it is more diverse and larger compared to most other states in the country (Bunce & Matthews, 2007). However, the healthcare system in Texas is actually provided through a patchwork of state and local publicly funded programs that are uncoordinated. Nearly a quarter (about 6 million) of Texas population is uninsured whereas the other quarter is insured through publicly funded programs and a half is privately insured (Fuchs & Emanuel, 2005). This makes Texas to have a large number of uninsured populations compared to most other states and countries. This is attributable to lower wages in Texas, higher insurance premiums as well as few employers who offer insurance making access to insurance a challenge (Wells Fargo Small Business Roundup, 2008).
This deplorable state of the healthcare sector in Texas necessitated the need to embark on implementation of various healthcare reform initiatives for the last three years aimed at amicably addressing these challenges (Wells Fargo Small Business Roundup, 2008). These healthcare reform initiatives immensely touch on health insurance which has been the greatest nightmare to healthcare sector in Texas. Mostly the reforms initiatives that have already taken place covers four major areas such as supporting the seniors, insurance coverage expansion, stronger consumer protections, as well as improving access to healthcare (Bunce & Matthews, 2007). These initiatives that have being occurring in Texas are synergized by the provisions of the Affordable Care Act which was enacted in the year 2000.
Support for seniors
The healthcare initiatives to support the seniors have involved closing the donut hole in Medicare Part D. This initiative has benefited many Texas Medicare beneficiaries who have already hit the donut hole meaning they are not able to receive additional help towards defraying their prescription drug’s cost. This initiative has made many seniors in Texas who have hit the donut hole to receive their tax free rebates. This healthcare reform initiative will continue to support additional seniors hitting donut hole in order to enable them afford their prescription drugs (Health Reform, 2012).
Moreover, in the support for seniors there has been reform initiatives aimed at providing free preventive services to the seniors. This will ensure that all the Medicare enrollees in Texas will be provided with free preventative services such as mammograms, colorectal cancer screening, as well as an annual wellness visit without coinsurance, copayments or deductibles payments (Fuchs & Emanuel, 2005).
Coverage expansions
There have also been numerous initiatives to expand coverage to the uninsured Americans living in Texas. For instance, Americans living in Texas with pre-existing conditions are provided with affordable health insurance cover. This has been achieved through the new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan program, which is wholly funded by the Federal government (Health Reform, 2012). The healthcare reform initiatives also involve extending health insurance cover to small businesses where the eligibility of numerous small businesses in Texas to small business tax credits has made it easier for them to provide insurance cover to their employees since the premiums have been made relatively affordable (Fuchs & Emanuel, 2005).
Extending coverage to young adults has been the other essential healthcare reform where parents’ insurance coverage should involve offering cover to their children up to the age of 26 years unless they have gotten a job offer where they are covered. This is a reprieve to hundred thousands of young adults in Texas who would continue having quality healthcare coverage through their parents’ healthcare insurance cover (Bunce & Matthews, 2007). Moreover, the healthcare reform initiatives aim at supporting for health coverage for early retirees. This is mainly because a considerable population in Texas retires prior to becoming eligible for Medicare and continues to be covered by their former employers (Health Reform, 2009).
However, it is unfortunate that the number of companies providing health coverage to their retirees ha...