Politics or People?

How Cameron County, Texas Stands To Benefit from Obamacare

While conservatives put politics over people, Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX) is putting his constituents first.
Starting October 1, millions of Americans will finally be able to sign up to purchase quality, affordable health care for the first time when the new Obamacare marketplaces open for enrollment. Many of these same Americans and others will be eligible for subsidies that will make coverage even more affordable. And come January 1, 2014, the worst abuses of the insurance industry, including denying coverage to those with preexisting conditions, will be history. But many conservatives in Congress and their allies are refighting old political battles and refusing to help people and businesses from even finding out how the law will work and how to take advantage of its benefits. Sadly, many of these opponents of Obamacare represent counties with some of the highest rates of uninsured people in the nation. Out of the more than 3,100 counties in the nation, the residents of Cameron County, TX are among those who stand to benefit the most from Obamacare. Democratic Rep. Vela, who represents Cameron County, is doing his job and helping his constituents take advantage of the law and its benefits - like free preventative care, lower premiums and ensuring coverage for pre-existing conditions. Rep. Vela recognizes that Obamacare is the law of the land and it is time to make sure it works for people and businesses in his district. Its time for conservatives to stop refighting old political games and start following Rep. Velas lead to make sure their constituents have the information they need to take advantage of the benefits and enroll in health care.

Cameron County Facts:

134,358 are uninsured. Of the 357,400 people under age 65 in Cameron County, 37.6 percent are uninsured, making it the county with the tenth highest rate of uninsured people out of over 3,100 counties in the nation.i 68,857 women are uninsured. In Cameron County, 37.4 percent of women under age 65 are uninsured making it the 8th worst county out of over 3,100 counties overall. ii 66,529 young people are uninsured. In Cameron County, 56.6 percent of young people ages 18 to 39 lack health insurance, placing it in the worst 1 percent among all counties in the nation and 8th worst among all counties for that age group.iii 49,032 uninsured are eligible for subsidies or tax credits. In Cameron, 36.4 percent of those making between 138 and 400 percent of the federal poverty line a key group that will qualify for insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act are uninsured. Among this group, the county is among the very worst in the nation, ranking 17th overall.iv 133,910 Hispanics are uninsured. In Cameron County, 38.3 percent of Hispanics are uninsured placing it in the 29th percentile among all counties in the nation.v High rate of diabetes. The county has a rate of diabetes prevalence that is 8.7 percent of the population, more than 5 percent higher than the national average.vi

High rate of stroke. Cameron Countys stroke mortality rate of those under age 75 is 12.3 per 100,000 people 4.2 percent over the national average.vii

Rep. Filemon Vela

Democratic Rep. Vela, who represents Cameron County, recognizes that Obamacare is the law of the land and that its his job to make sure it works for his constituents and that they understand how to take advantage of its benefits. Since entering office, he has voted to defend the law each of the four times conservatives have attempted to repeal it.viii
Census Bureau, "Small Area Health Insurance Estimates," 2010. http://www.census.gov/did/www/sahie/data/interactive/ (last accessed July 2013). ii Ibid. iii Ibid. iv Ibid. v Census Bureau, "American Community Survey," 3-year estimates 2008-2010. Accessed using American Fact Finder: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml (last accessed July 2013). vi Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Interactive Diabetes Atlases, 2009, http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/atlas/ (last accessed July 2013). vii Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke Tables, 3 -year estimates 20082010, http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DHDSPAtlas/reports.aspx (last accessed July 2013). viii Calculated using roll call votes from the following House bills: HConRes 25, Vote #88, 3/21/13, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll088.xml; HR 45, Vote #154, 5/16/13, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll154.xml; HR 2667, Vote #361, 7/17/13, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll361.xml; HR 2668, Vote #363, 7/17/13, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll363.xml.
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