5 Healthcare Policies Texas Democrats and Republicans Agree On

We’ve heard “Texas-sized” used as a compliment, but when it comes to our healthcare crisis, it’s not bragging rights—it’s a warning light. 

Texas ranks worst in the nation for healthcare access. A majority of Texans said they put off medical treatment because they couldn’t afford it. And the state leads the nation in rural hospital closures.

The good news? Citizens across the political spectrum agree on practical solutions.

We’ve outlined five of these policies below.

1. 92% of Texans Want More Transparency from Medical Providers

One in three Texans have skipped care because they couldn’t find out what it would cost beforehand.

One solution citizens agree on? More transparency. 

According to Altarum’s Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey, 93% of Republicans and 91% of Democrats support requiring up-front cost estimates from hospitals and doctors.

Luckily, politicians from both sides of the aisle are coming together to address the issue.

The bipartisan Texas House Bill 1314 went into effect on September 1. The bill lets patients request a written cost estimate for non-emergency procedures, and if the final bill is more than $400 higher, providers must explain your right to dispute it. But it only works if you know to ask, doesn’t cover emergencies, and doesn’t require providers to post pricing online, making it difficult for patients to compare prices.

Nevertheless, the bill is a bipartisan win and a step in the right direction.

2. 82% of Texans Support Allowing Licensed Counselors from Other States to Provide Mental Healthcare to Texans 

Mental health isn’t separate from health. It’s the foundation. Yet Texas ranks near the bottom nationally for access to mental health services. The result? Rising homelessness and untreated trauma that cycles through families and communities.

How can Texans improve their access? Increasing the number of mental health professionals could be a good place to start. Our original polling found that 82% of Texas citizens (92% of Democrats and 76% of Republicans) support letting licensed counselors from other states provide mental healthcare here, especially via telehealth.

3. 91% of Texans Support a Cap on Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications

According to a Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey, 92% of Republicans and 93% of Democrats agree that there should be a cap on how much people pay out of pocket for life-saving medications. That means almost everyone, regardless of politics, thinks no family should have to choose between paying rent and paying for insulin, an inhaler, or cancer treatment.

Right now, those costs can spiral into the thousands each month, even for people with insurance. A cap would give families predictability and peace of mind: you know the medicine you or your child needs won’t suddenly wipe out your savings.

4. 77% of Texans Support Allowing Pharmacists to Test and Treat for Common Illnesses

According to our original poll, most Texas citizens across party lines support letting pharmacists test and treat for simple things like strep throat, the flu, or urinary tract infections. 

This is especially important for rural areas because the nearest doctor or clinic might be an hour away. If your local pharmacy can handle basic tests and treatments, Texans can have more healthcare access and avoid letting small problems turn into emergencies.

Texas lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill (House Bill 3540) to make it happen, but it recently died in committee. Why the pushback? Some strongly believe that doctors should stay in the loop when it comes to diagnosing patients and prescribing drugs—even if the pharmacist is in the driver’s seat. Others add that this legislation might put too much on pharmacists’ already full plates, leading to burnout or an increased likelihood of mistakes. Given the high-level agreement on this one, we expect it will come back in the next session, perhaps with additional details that both proponents and opponents can agree on.

5. 73% of Texans Support Medicaid Expansion 

Limiting Medicaid hits rural hospitals hard.

Rural hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid because many of their patients are low-income. When Medicaid funding is cut, those hospitals are forced to treat those patients without compensation, and many can’t afford to stay open.

Since 2010, nearly 30 rural hospitals in Texas have closed, and dozens more are on the brink. For rural families, that can mean driving over an hour just to get to an ER. In emergencies, those minutes can be the difference between life and death. A 2021 health policy poll from the Episcopal Health Foundation found that nearly half of Texas adults view access to hospitals in rural areas as a top priority. 

Citizens from both parties support Medicaid expansion, though Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans. The Texas Politics Project’s recent poll shows that 63% of “Strong Republicans” and 91% of “Strong Democrats” support Medicaid expansion.

Instead of full-on expansion, other groups like Texas 2036 are working to ensure that Texans eligible for Medicaid know they qualify. 

Building a Healthier Texas Together

At the end of the day, healthcare isn’t a partisan talking point. It’s your kid’s asthma inhaler, your neighbor’s cancer treatment, your cousin’s ER bill. It’s about whether Texans can get the care they need without losing everything they’ve worked for.

Fighting while the system breaks down helps no one. It’s on us to push our leaders to actually fix it. Texans have never shied away from hard work. Let’s show we can rise to the challenge once again, together.

—Alex Buscemi (abuscemi@buildersmovement.org)