As workers continue to look to their employers for health-insurance coverage, lawmakers are considering new ideas for helping some small companies bear these costs - hoping those efforts will, in turn, lower the number of uninsured in Texas. One in four people there can't afford health insurance.

Texas legislators are studying two options: One, to subsidize health-insurance premiums for small businesses and individuals. And two, seeking a waiver from Medicare that would allow qualified individuals to use Medicare funds to buy private health insurance. These programs should be in place in 5-10 years.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that, across the country, 15.3 percent of people were uninsured in 2007, indicating a drop. In contrast, the number of Texans without health coverage rose from 23.9 percent to 24.8 percent.

John Greeley, public information officer for the Texas Department of Insurance, said the high number of Texas small businesses paying relatively low wages has contributed to Texas having more uninsured people - and uninsured employees - than any other state.

Other factors contributing to the high number of uninsured Texans include race and place of birth. 32.1 percent of Hispanics in Texas are uninsured; in all other states that rate is less than 20 percent. Only 12.7 percent of U.S.-born citizens across the U.S. are uninsured.