Alec Mendoza, Policy Advisor, Health and Economic Mobility
In March, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, created a new House Select Committee on Health Care Affordability, and gave it the task of examining factors affecting healthcare affordability in Texas. This bipartisan committee, led by Chair James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, and Vice Chair Toni Rose, D-Dallas, will focus this legislative interim on studying why…
Gold Plans Led Texas Enrollment in 2026 Against a backdrop of national ACA enrollment declining nearly 8%, Texas added more than 200,000 plan selections in 2026. That 5.2% increase represented the largest numerical gain in the country. That growth is notable, but the data showing the composition of that growth is the more significant story….
When examining the 2026 ACA enrollment data, a clear line emerged between two groups of consumers: those who actively chose a plan during open enrollment, and those who were automatically renewed into their prior year coverage plan without taking any action. The difference in outcomes between those two groups is one of the most revealing findings in this…
Key Takeaways One in three adults (32%) have used AI for health information in the past year, with higher rates among younger adults (36%) and the uninsured (40%). For many younger adults, AI is becoming an alternative to a health care system they struggle to access or afford. Adults under 30 were six times more…
Travis County is staring down a projected $13 million budget shortfall, and the primary driver is not a new project or an unexpected emergency. It is health insurance. Last year, the county spent $2.6 million on health insurance premiums for its employees. This year, health care is estimated to cost somewhere between $14 million and…
For many Texas families, a routine doctor’s visit can lead to a startling discovery in the mailbox. When hospitals acquire physician practices, it may allow them to charge a new, separate facility fee alongside the professional fee for the physician’s services. These additional fees have tangible consequences for Texas families. In one instance, a routine…