Medicaid still matters, and millions of Texans remain without any health insurance coverage at all.
The current Texas legislative session ends in less than two weeks. At this point, it looks like Texas is not going to participate in straightforward Medicaid expansion as set forth in the federal Affordable Care Act. It will be two years before the state legislature may look at this main issue again.
However, one option remains on the table as a provision in the Senate’s version of the state budget. This choice would make way for Texas to negotiate with the federal government to use dollars earmarked for Medicaid expansion to create a new healthcare system for Texas that is different from Medicaid. This approach would affect not only people who are uninsured, but also people who already receive Medicaid. Just how folks would be affected would depend on the outcome of the negotiations and the details of the new system–all future unknowns.
We Texans have the responsibility to read up, make up our minds, and let our representatives know how we feel. The clock is ticking down, and these last few days of the legislative session are our last chance to be heard on this issue for a long time. Do you want Medicaid to stay like it is and not expand to include others? Or, would you like Medicaid to change and be able to include people who are uninsured? It’s our choice, but only if we make ourselves heard.
Once you decide, just follow the link below to find your specific representatives. Then give ’em a good ol’ Texas holler or zap ’em an email! Medicaid matters, and so does choice!