400,000 Adults in Texas Have Lost Health Insurance This Year

We have previously highlighted the fact that Texas has more uninsured people than any other state, and that situation has only gotten worse this year. Between January and August, 396,900 working-age adults lost their health insurance, according to a report by Families USA. Job losses have been a strong driver of that trend, as the unemployment rate has topped 8 percent for the first time in more than 20 years. Nationwide, 45,000 people die prematurely every year because they do not have health insurance, with almost 5,000 of those untimely deaths occurring in Texas.

These numbers make clear the importance of the current health care debate, as the question of whether Congress is able to pass meaningful health care reform will have deep implications in our state. Texas Impact and others in the faith community have been working to bring about the necessary changes to ensure accessible and affordable health care, and you can catch up with the resources included below.

Evaluating the Health Reform Bills from a Faith Perspective

Conference Call with President Obama and Faith Community

Faith and Health Care Reform: Conference Call With Jackson Day & Jack Glaser

If you are ready to take action, call your representatives in Congress [click here to find your legislators in DC], write a letter to the editor of your local paper, distribute this bulletin insert about the effects of being uninsured (PDF), sign the Faith Inspired Vision Statement, or get in touch with Texas Impact staff for more ideas on how to get involved.