Texas has about 4.7 million uninsured people younger than 65, making it the state with the highest uninsured population, according to new Urban Institute research.
The institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, examined characteristics of uninsured people in Texas using its Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model, which is based on detailed U.S. Census data. The model also incorporates 2018 Medicaid and marketplace enrollment data for Texas.
Researchers estimate that 19 percent of people younger than 65 in Texas are uninsured, significantly higher than the national rate of 11 percent reported by the CDC.
While the uninsured rate in Texas is high, the state has made significant coverage gains since the ACA was implemented, researchers said. They cite the 2016 Health Reform Monitoring Survey, developed by the institute, which shows the uninsured rate for Texans ages 18 to 34 fell from 33 percent in September 2013 to 21 percent in March 2016. The uninsured rate for Texans ages 35 to 49 also decreased by 8 percent during that period.
The institute's research brief describing its analysis is available here. Access fact sheets on the uninsured rate and characteristics of the uninsured population for 41 Texas counties or groups of counties here.