One in four Texans lives at or below the poverty level; for children, it's nearly one in three. More than 6.3 million Texans - including 1.2 million children - lack health insurance. The uninsured are up to four times less likely to have a regular source of health care and are more likely to die from health-related problems. Related to communicable diseases, it is estimated that 1 in 4 children living in Texas go without all the necessary immunizations to lead healthy, happy lives due to a lack of affordability and access to medical care. Finally, lacking a medical home, most often uninsured people tend to look for health care in the emergency room, the most expensive setting they could possibly choose.
