West Texas leads the state in both illnesses and lack of insurance
By Marianna Souriall, msourial@ttu.edu
At the height of the 2025 measles outbreak, West Texas led the nation in the number of cases.
The South Plains also recorded the highest rate of diabetes and the lowest life expectancy rates.
Yet even in the state's unhealthiest region, West Texas touts the highest uninsured health care rates.
Health insurance is intended to provide a financial buffer for those faced with medical bills so individuals don’t go into debt.
Across the United States, nearly 92 percent of the population rely on health insurance. That’s more than more than 305 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Texas, however, lags far behind the nation.
It has the lowest health insurance rates with only 17 percent of its residents insured, according to 2022 census data. And West Texas is a big contributor to Texas’ uninsured numbers.
While many use health insurance as a debt preventer, many don’t sign up because of cost and accessibility, according to the Commonwealth Fund website. Deductibles and copays are just too expensive.
The Affordable Care Act – otherwise known as Obama Care – was introduced to address those cost concerns at the federal level in 2010. It was designed to expand health insurance coverage to a wide range of low-income households – helping to pay for doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, mental health needs and other services.
Texas residents can individually apply for Affordable Care Act coverage. But unlike all but nine other states, Texas does not help to defray any of the costs. It opted out of renewing Medicaid in 2024.
According to the National Library of Medicine reports, living with health insurance is beneficial to people. It helps them with immediate financial burdens and after-effects of everything from medication to rehab.
Health insurance averages $114 a month through employer-sponsored plans and up to $500 when covered individually. Those without insurance are likely to pay 2-5 times more for medical assistance, according to AdventHealth.
