Take Action to Fix Kids Healthcare Crisis

Gov. Abbott and the Texas Legislature

For the past two years, Texas has been prohibited from removing people from Medicaid as part of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. However, with the federal emergency ending Texas families are forced to re-sign up. As a result, over 500,000 Texans have lost Medicaid – the vast majority of them have been children. What’s most concerning is they’re not losing access to healthcare for eligibility reasons, but due to procedural and paperwork issues.

This is unacceptable. We know without Medicaid, primary care and preventive visits will decrease, while emergency room utilization and the short-term and long-term costs of healthcare will increase for families and Texas.

Add your name to demand the Legislature, the Governor, and HHSC make specific improvements to minimize disruptions to healthcare access for those who are still eligible, while laying the groundwork for a healthier Texas.

Texas must take immediate action to address this crisis, including:

  • Utilizing flexibilities and updated guidance from CMS to reduce procedural denials and facilitate the re-enrollment of eligible Texans denied for procedural reasons.
  • Making better use of third-party data to help verify eligibility and adding H.B. 1599 to the upcoming special session to implement Express Lane Eligibility for kids
  • Immediately providing one year of continuous coverage to children, which will be required by federal law beginning on January 1, 2024.
  • Modernizing the Health and Human Services Commission and making technical upgrades and improvements to YourTexasBenefits.com and the 2-1-1 system – including permitting electronic submission of renewal documents during the 90 day reconsideration period and plainly stating an individual’s renewal dates and deadlines online.
  • Adopting Medicaid expansion, as 40 states and Washington, D.C. have already done.

To: Gov. Abbott and the Texas Legislature
From: [Your Name]

Dear Gov. Abbott and members of the Texas Legislature,

I'm writing today to ask that you take immediate action to minimize disruptions to healthcare access for those who are still eligible, while laying the groundwork for a healthier Texas.​

To date, over 500,000 Texans have lost Medicaid – the vast majority of them have been children. What’s most concerning is they’re not losing access to healthcare for eligibility reasons, but due to procedural and paperwork issues.

Texas must take immediate action to address this crisis, including:
- Utilizing flexibilities and updated guidance from CMS to reduce procedural denials and facilitate the re-enrollment of eligible Texans denied for procedural reasons.​
- Making better use of third-party data to help verify eligibility and adding H.B. 1599 to the upcoming special session to implement Express Lane Eligibility for kids.
- Immediately providing one year of continuous coverage to children, which will be required by federal law beginning on January 1, 2024.​​
- Modernizing the Health and Human Services Commission and making technical upgrades and improvements to YourTexasBenefits.com and the 2-1-1 system –​​ including permitting electronic submission of renewal documents during the 90 day reconsideration period and plainly stating an individual’s renewal dates and deadlines online.​
- Adopting Medicaid expansion, as 40 states and Washington, D.C. have already done.

Failure to act now will have dire consequences for Texas children, their health, and many related outcomes. Enrolled children under age three, immigrant families, and children with disabilities may be particularly vulnerable.

I urge you to explore every available avenue for improvement and take immediate action to address this growing crisis for Texas kids.