• 55% are women
• 30% are age 18-34 -- slightly higher than the national rate of 28%
• 439,000 signed up after March 1, a huge spike from the 295,000 that signed up prior to March 1
• 84% used financial assistance

Stacey Pogue of the Center for Public Policy Priorities talked about the historic feat:

Texas has made more progress on affordable health insurance in the last six months than in the last decade,” said Stacey Pogue, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a member of the Texas Well and Healthy coalition. “Nonetheless, when we look at other states that took an ‘all hands on deck approach’ to helping people enroll, we know that Texas could do much more. Texas needs to get serious about making sure families have the insurance they need to stay healthy and financially stable. Too many Texans are still one illness or one accident away from going bankrupt.”

And all of this despite the constant efforts by Greg Abbott, Rick Perry, and Ted Cruz to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Imagine how many more would have health insurance in Texas if we had elected officials that recognized the multitude of benefits -- lower health premiums, saving property tax dollars, more jobs and stronger local economies - that would come from full expansion of Medicaid.

 

Despite the good news, at least 1 million Texans remain in the coverage gap because of the decision by Rick Perry and Texas Republicans to not expand Medicaid.

 

If you are in the coverage gap, or would like to get involved in helping to close the gap, sign-up online at www.TexasLeftMeOut.org