Texas 2036 Offers New Lens on Where the 1M Texas Children Without Health Coverage Are Located

Texas 2036 maps where nearly 1M uninsured Texas children live, and reveals most are already eligible for coverage through Medicaid, CHIP or ACA plans.

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, May 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Texas has the highest number of uninsured residents in the country, with nearly five million people, but a new analysis from Texas 2036 makes clear the state has ample opportunity to provide help to an important segment of that population — Texas children who currently lack coverage.

The data shows that nearly one million uninsured Texans are children, with more than 200,000 of them under the age of six. Texas 2036 findings show many of these are eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) but remain unenrolled. Between 79% and 93% of uninsured Texas children are already eligible for free or subsidized insurance.

With children representing one in five of the state’s uninsured, this finding raises critical questions about outreach, enrollment barriers and missed opportunities to connect families to available coverage.

Texas 2036 data estimated the number of uninsured Texas children and their eligibility from 2022. We found:

* Just under half (48%) of uninsured Texas children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
* Nearly a third (31%) are eligible for subsidized ACA coverage, while an additional 14% may be eligible, depending on local income and market conditions.

Key findings from a recent county-level analysis by Texas 2036 also looked into where Texas’ general uninsured population is located. We found:

* Harris County has the largest number of uninsured people overall.
* 11 counties each have 100,000-plus uninsured residents: Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Hidalgo, El Paso, Travis, Cameron, Collin, Fort Bend and Denton.
* The largest uninsured populations are concentrated in the Texas Triangle (Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth) — due to higher population density. But several rural counties in the Panhandle, West Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley have the largest percentage of their population uninsured.
* In nearly all counties, males make up the largest share of the uninsured.

By illuminating the complexity of the state’s uninsured population, Texas 2036’s findings support a more informed, targeted conversation around health care access. Policy solutions must reflect the specific needs of each group, whether through expanded outreach, streamlined enrollment or new coverage options.

Texas 2036 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization based in Austin, advancing long-term, data-driven strategies to secure Texas’ future. This resource is part of the organization’s ongoing work to support policymakers, health care leaders and advocates working to ensure more Texans can access the coverage and care they need.

Access the full report: https://texas2036.org/posts/understanding-texas-uninsured/

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About Texas 2036

Texas 2036 is a nonprofit public policy organization committed to building long-term, data-driven strategies to ensure Texas’ prosperity up to its bicentennial and beyond. Our solutions are nonpartisan, grounded in thorough research and focus on critical issues that seek to improve lives and opportunities for all Texans.

Media Contacts:

John Reynolds
Director of Communications, Texas 2036
Ph: 512-468-7003 / Email: john.reynolds@texas2036.org

Merrill Davis
Texas 2036
+1 713-213-7297
email us here