Planning a trip or a move to Texas? While there are excellent opportunities for both visitors and new temporary or permanent residents in Texas, anyone entering the state should know about the Texas health insurance options before settling there.
Texas is one of the largest US states by both population and area and is home to many vibrant cities like Dallas, Houston, and Austin. In June 2022, travel spending in Texas hit $105 billion, one of the highest amounts during the pandemic.
Whether you’re arriving for a weekend trip to Austin, hiking through Big Bend National Park, or relocating to Texas for a new position, you should familiarize yourself with the Texas healthcare and health insurance landscapes and understand how to keep yourself protected.
An Introduction to the US Healthcare System
Despite frequent calls over the years for Texas Independence, Texas remains a valued part of the United States. As with all other states, healthcare in Texas is administered at a state level but remains subject to federal laws and regulations.
In the United States, healthcare is funded and administered through a combination of public and private providers. The federal government provides money to each state, but it’s up to the states to determine how they want to use this money, within reason.
An individual’s access to healthcare in the United States is primarily dictated by their health insurance. 49.6% of Americans have health insurance through an employer’s private group insurance plan, while 19.8% are enrolled in Medicaid, the national public health insurance plan administered by individual states.
In the United States, people going without health insurance has always been an issue. American healthcare costs are high, and individuals without insurance have to pay out of pocket, which could be devastating if they were to need unexpected or emergency medical care. In 2014, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) opened up more insurance options, and now there are only roughly 31 million Americans without health insurance.
Healthcare in Texas
Since so much of the American healthcare system is under state control, there are often discrepancies between various states in terms of the quality and accessibility of their healthcare.
Unfortunately, Texas is the fourth-worst state in the USA for healthcare quality, due to factors like their stringent Medicaid regulations (making it hard to enroll), lack of expansion of Medicaid access, and high insurance deductibles.
48% of Texans have insurance through their employer, but the state also has the highest number of uninsured people in the United States at 4.5 million, despite not being the largest state by population.
Providing healthcare for the undocumented individuals living in Texas has also been an ongoing challenge. Unlike some states like California that encourage eligible residents to sign up for state Medicaid programs regardless of their immigration status, Texas has not made this option available. This will only lead to more uninsured individuals living in this state who only use healthcare services when they have no other choice.
Finding the Best Health Insurance in Texas
Due to Texas’s high healthcare costs and stringent rules regarding enrollment in public health insurance, it’s vitally important for all newcomers to Texas to ensure they have the best health insurance for their needs.
Here are some considerations to keep in mind, depending on your immigration status.
Visitors and tourists
Anyone visiting Texas for a vacation should ensure they arrive with travel insurance that offers a reasonable amount of healthcare coverage. Most visitors who are not high-risk will be fine with travel insurance that has decent emergency medical coverage to protect them in the event of an accident or injury.
Temporary workers
If you’re arriving in Texas on an H1B visa or another type of temporary working visa, you should first check to see whether your employer offers a group health plan. Most workers can enroll in this, regardless of their immigration status.
If you cannot enroll in a health insurance plan through your employer, you will likely be eligible for ACA marketplace coverage once you have established your US residency. Keep in mind that doing this can be complex, so it may be a good idea to purchase short-term private insurance as you’re getting settled, then switch to domestic health insurance purchased through Healthcare.gov.
Green card holders
Like any other lawful resident of the United States, green card holders are eligible for ACA marketplace coverage through Healthcare.gov. However, it’s a good idea to check with your employer first, as the group plan they offer may be cheaper or offer better coverage than a marketplace health insurance plan.
However, enrolling in any health insurance plan requires documentation, which can sometimes take weeks to access. If you’re arriving in the United States on a green card, we recommend getting private travel health insurance to cover you during the first few days or weeks to make sure that you’re protected in the event of a sudden emergency. This coverage can be canceled once you’re enrolled in domestic health insurance.
International and exchange students
There are so many great schools in Texas, like Rice University, Texas A&M, and Baylor. These schools often host international students who arrive with F or M visas to begin their studies.
Many Texas post-secondary schools offer group health insurance plans to students, so it’s always essential to check there first to see whether your school has an available plan. Even if they don’t, they may have some international student health insurance standards that you must follow to safeguard your enrollment.
Getting the Best Health Insurance for Texas
Since healthcare in Texas can be so expensive, it’s essential that all visitors, regardless of how long they intend to stay, are protected with health insurance. Don’t let a sudden emergency derail your enjoyment of the Austin City Limits Music Festival or your first day of work at one of Texas’s biggest employers like Exxon Mobil or AT&T. Health insurance is the key to keeping you safe and worry-free.
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