As the current legislative session draws nearer to close, Texas lawmakers are still debating what to do about Medicaid Expansion. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 offers states the option to expand their existing Medicaid programs to provide health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured adults. Texas has the largest percentage of uninsured adults in the nation at a rate of 20-25%. The federal government would pay 100% of new Medicaid Expansion costs for three years, then gradually reduce their contribution to 90%, leaving states to then sustain the remaining 10%. Unlike other federal programs that mandate sustainability, states unable or unwilling to budget this residual cost will have the choice to opt out.
Opponents argue that Texas cannot afford Medicaid Expansion because of the possibility of increased healthcare costs down the road, and that opting out of the program later would be unfair to Texans by pulling the proverbial rug from under them. Lawmakers are now exploring several other alternatives to straightforward Medicaid Expansion. Those options include using traditional Medicaid block grant money to overhaul the existing Medicaid system, setting up a new state health care system in place of Medicaid, or negotiating with federal lawmakers about how Medicaid Expansion funds could be used differently, such as using private insurers to provide the expanded care or setting up “personal responsibility” measures to offset future costs, such deductibles as co-payments for expanded Medicaid services.
Medicaid matters because it helps people and creates jobs, but it also costs a great deal of money. The important thing right now is that our lawmakers are talking actively and exploring our options. It’s our job as Texans to investigate those options for ourselves, make up our own minds, and then let our legislators and our governor know where we stand. We can surf the Internet, read newspapers, and listen to the news to learn more about Medicaid Expansion in Texas. We can also use the link below to find out who our representatives are and how to contact them.
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