Dallas Health News, Statistics, and Laws

Recently, health care news has become headline news locally and nationally in the U.S. Dallas, Texas, one of the top - 10 largest metropolises in the country, is no exception.

Here you can find up to date Dallas health insurance statistics, news, and laws that will get you up to speed on everything you need to know before purchasing a health insurance plan in Dallas, Texas.

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“Big D” and the “Lone Star State” Health Insurance Stastics

• About one out of every four of Texas' residents lacks basic health care. This percentage is higher than in any other U.S. state.
• Roughly 43% of Texans below the age of 65-years-old lacked health insurance at some juncture during 2002-2003. This figure of 8.5 million was roughly equal to New Jersey's entire population!
• Texas ranks 48th in the U.S. in terms of the percentage of employer health care coverage. Only two other states have a lower percentage.
• In 2006, 20% of Texas' children under 18-years-old lacked health insurance. That is the nation's highest percentage.
• In 2005, the cost of the uninsured in Texas was over $9.2 billion
• In the Lone Star State, non-citizens are about three times as likely to be uninsured, as citizens.
• In 2003, nearly half a million residents in Dallas County had no health insurance. The county has the second highest percentage of uninsured residents (23.7%), in Texas.

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Recent Dallas Health News

In February 2007, Dr. J. James Rohack, representing over 41,000 members of the Texas Medical Association, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives. He discussed the state of Texas' healthcare. Dr. Rohack revealed that doctors' offices and hospitals lack the funds to meet the requirements to care for Texas' uninsured. This situation consequently creates healthcare access challenges for the uninsured. In fact, Dr. Rohack revealed that a burden of about $1,500 is added to the private health insurance costs of an average family in Texas, to care for the uninsured. Finally, he also shared that heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the more common sources of Texans' deaths. These ailments become exponentially expensive for those lacking health insurance.

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Dallas Health Insurance Laws You need to Know

• Guaranteed Issue

  Guaranteed-issue laws ensure that nobody can be denied health insurance coverage, regardless of her or his physical condition. In Texas, health insurance policies for small businesses (2-50 employees) must be sold exclusively on a guaranteed issue basis. Small business owners that buy small group health plans that are fully insured cannot be denied health insurance coverage due to any factor (i.e. age or health status). Nevertheless, your small business is required to meet particular requirements related to participation or contributions.

• COBRA

  Through COBRA you can remain in your group health plan for an extended time after departing from your job. To qualify, you must:

1. Work for a company with at least 20 employees
2. Be covered via the company's group health plan as an employee, employee's spouse, or employee's dependent child
3. Have lost your group health plan due to a qualified reason.

• Pre-Existing Conditions

  Next, various laws and regulations exist regarding pre-existing conditions. HMOs are not permitted to prohibit coverage for those conditions that are pre-existing. However, all group health plans are required to limit the omission of such pre-existing conditions. Guidelines exist about what defines a "pre-existing condition" and the wait period required before a group health plan starts to cover that particular condition.

• Coverage Denial

  Texas Law also ensures “non-discrimination.” For instance, if an employer offers you and other employees a group health plan, your coverage cannot be denied or limited, due to your particular health status. Furthermore, you cannot be required to pay higher rates, for the same reason. However, group health plans are able to limit your coverage due to factors that are unconnected to your health status (i.e. part-time employment).

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