Formation

Dallas County Commissioners Court Order 2005-452 appointed District I County Commissioner Maurine Dickey as the Court Liaison for Regional Health Care issues. That order specified that “the Commissioners Court Liaison for Regional Health Care Initiatives will work with various citizens committees and representatives from other North Texas Counties to develop and discuss options to address Regional Health Care issues” Court Order 2005-453 engaged the services of the Texas Health Institute to “assist in the formation of a community collaborative to address health access issues in the North Texas Region.“

As a result of those orders, Commissioner Dickey formed a loose coalition of people who are interested in the issues surrounding regional health. That coalition is now incorporated, and has received a 501(c)3 status under the IRS tax code. The first initiative of the coalition was to seek some form of low-cost insurance or medical coverage for the “working poor” in small businesses. From these efforts has come the concept of the 3-Share program, initially for Dallas County, and subsequently for other interested counties in North Texas.

The Coalition was incorporated as the North Texas Underinsured HealthCare Coalition, but is now doing Business as the “North Texas 3-Share Plan.” The shared vision for our North Texas Project parallels the vision articulated by the Texas Health Institute, although we recognize that the 3-Share program is but one part of the ultimate goal of:

RAISE Health Care in Texas

1. Regional solutions
2. Access for all
3. Incentives for personal responsibility
4. Sound use of resources
5. Education about consequences