PUBLIC BENEFITS

The center focuses on health care access, immigrants' access to services, food and nutrition, the state's eligibility and enrollment system, and TANF.

Recent Public Benefits Publications

Governor's Medicaid Reform Workgroup Requests Suggestions by January 16 (12/22/2003)

Perry has convened a workgroup of hospital administrators and others to review proposals for reducing Medicaid and CHIP spending for the 2005 Legislature. Recommendations are due by January 16.

Immigrants and Public Benefits: Training for Community Service Providers (12/5/2003)

Presentation in El Paso on the facts about immigrants and public benefits in Texas.

Legislature's CHIP Policy Changes Have Already Reduced Children Covered by 49,000 (11/9/2003)

This CPPP Policy Page provides updated information on CHIP program changes and how they are reducing program enrollment.

The Texas Health Care Primer (11/1/2003)

The Health Care Primer provides an introductory overview of factors shaping Texans' access to health care.

State Budget 2004-005: Implications for Health Care and Vulnerable Texans (10/29/2003)

Presentation on health care cuts made in 2003.

Testimony on Draft HHS Reorganization Transition Plan (10/20/2003)

The Center for Public Policy Priorities offers the following comments on the HB 2292 Draft Transition Plan dated October 16, 2003.

HB 2292 Update: HHS Reorganization (09/15/2003)

This Policy Page includes the schedule for the public hearings and notes our major concerns with the reorganization of HHS agencies and the privatization of state services, as well as our recommendations for mitigating the effect of these changes on clients.

Understanding Termination of Medicaid to TANF Recipients (09/12/2003)

The Texas Workforce Commission is proposing a rule that would have the effect of denying Medicaid to extremely poor parents on cash assistance who fail to do things such as meet health check up schedules for their kids or keep their teenagers in school.

Immigrant Benefits Update (08/12/2003)

In 2002, Congress passed a law that restored eligibility for Food Stamps to legal immigrants with five years of residency in the United States and to all legal immigrant children, regardless of their length of residency in the country. The first of these restorations took effect on April 1, 2003, with the restoration for legal immigrant children to take effect on October 1, 2003.

How Does the New $167 Million Affect Medicaid and CHIP Cuts? (08/11/2003)

This brief update recaps the uses of the added funds, and the enormous cuts that remain. To supplement this brief update, CPPP is posting a revised spreadsheet modeling the county-level impact of Medicaid and CHIP cuts for 2004 and 2005, reflecting the impact of the additional $167 million GR.

Status Report: State Funds That Could Reduce the Impact of Medicaid Cuts in the State Budget (08/1/2003)

The Governor, Lt. Governor, and Comptroller have all in recent days identified about $800 million in state dollars that could be used to reduce the size of Medicaid cuts approved by the Legislature for the 2004-2005 budget. Read the essential facts.

Federal Medicaid Relief Funds Could Stop the Elimination of Medicaid Mental Health Services, Other Services (07/18/2003)

This Policy Page describes the expected impact of the proposed cuts, and explains what readers can do to try to stop them.

Texas Awarded $29.1 Million for Food Stamp Program Management (07/16/2003)

This Policy Page explains the enhanced funding process and the impact that ending these important outreach efforts will have on low-income families and Texas.

Comments on Proposed DHS Rules Regarding TANF and Medicaid (07/11/2003)

Comments on Proposed Rule Changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (and related Medicaid Changes).

Texas, U.S. Face Paradoxical Nutrition Problems (07/10/2003)

In the richest nation on earth, 13 million children do not always get enough to eat. At the same time, in an alarming, paradoxical trend, childhood obesity has joined childhood hunger on the list of serious threats to kids' nutritional health.

78th Legislature-1st Special Session (07/7/2003)

This Policy Page summarizes the primary charges of the special session, with CPPP's major concerns noted.

Testimony in Support of HB 107 (07/1/2003)

The Center for Public Policy Priorities appreciates the opportunity to testify in support of this bill. We provide the following background information for your information.

Flyer: More Legal Immigrants Than Ever Are Eligible to Buy Food Stamps (07/1/2003)

Details on immigrant food stamp eligibility.

Flyer: More Legal Immigrants Than Ever Are Eligible to Buy Food Stamps (En Espanol) (07/1/2003)

Details on immigrant food stamp eligibility.

State Health Care and TANF Budget Cuts for 2004-05 (05/30/2003)

As the 78th Regular Session draws to a close, House Bill 1--the state budget for 2004-05--is nearing the stages of final approval by the House and Senate. This Policy Page describes some of the major social services cuts contained in the budget, which will spend less General Revenue than the 2002-03 budget spent.

HHS Funding: Senate vs. House Proposals for 2004-05 (05/13/2003)

Many programs and services for the neediest Texans remain unfunded in the Senate Finance or House budget proposals, or in both. While the Senate Finance Committee has invested significant amounts in Health and Human Services above what was included in the House Budget, major program and client cuts remain.

CSHB 2292 Analysis (04/23/2003)

This Policy Page provides a short analysis of CSHB 2292 (with a link to a more detailed section-by section analysis on our web site) with a summary of our major concerns and recommendations for improving the bill or, in many cases, limiting the negative impact to the health and human services infrastructure in Texas.

Information on Medicaid Simplification (04/10/2003)

Prior to SB 43 (in April 2001), 67% of the families of children subject to simplification reported earned income (the remainder were dependent on SSI disability, SSDI, or child support). As of January 2003, that percentage has increased to 79%. The children who lose out when bureaucratic hurdles are used to reduce caseloads are the children in working families �" the ones we all want to reward.

Testimony on School Nutrition Programs (04/1/2003)

I am here representing the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, research organization that works on behalf of low and moderate-income Texans, to testify in support of SB 474. While the center supports all of the provisions in this bill, my testimony focuses on the sections relating to expanding, supporting, and maintaining participation in the School Breakfast Program.

Testimony on Finger Imaging for Food Stamps (03/31/2003)

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I am here representing the Center for Public Policy Priorities�"a non-partisan, non-profit policy research organization seeking sound solutions to the challenges faced by low- and moderate-income Texans. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today in favor of House Bill 712.

Medicaid and CHIP Cuts Would Reduce 04-05 Texas Health Spending by at Least $10 Billion (03/28/2003)

On March 17, the Center for Public Policy Priorities released estimates of the local impact of $9.3 billion in Medicaid spending cuts proposed in the HHSC and DHS agency budgets, and posted all that information on our web page. We have now added to that information county-by-county estimates of various proposed cuts to CHIP.

Testimony on 12-Month Children's Medicaid Eligibility (03/18/2003)

The Center for Public Policy Priorities appreciates the opportunity to comment on HB 728, which would postpone the extension of 12-month continuous eligibility for Children's Medicaid until June 2005.

Simplified Eligibility for Children's Medicaid in Texas: A Status Report at Nine Months (03/5/2003)

This Policy Page presents the executive summary of a new report by the Center for Public Policy Priorities on the impact of Senate Bill 43 of the 77th Texas legislature, Children's Medicaid Simplification. The Center gratefully acknowledges the support of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured in producing this report.

Testimony on Congressional Conversion of Medicaid to Block Grant (02/25/2003)

The Center for Public Policy Priorities appreciates the opportunity to comment on HCR 58, urging Congress to convert Medicaid to a block grant. While we share Chairman Delisi's belief that health care costs for all Americans �" not just Medicaid �" are out of control, we respectfully disagree that eliminating the federal commitment to share in the costs of health care for the poorest Americans will be beneficial for Texas.

Handouts to Accompany Testimony on Congressional Conversion of Medicaid to Block Grant (02/25/2003)

Handouts to accompany testimony on HCR 58.

TANF and Child Care Reauthorization -- Deja Vu Redo? (02/4/2003)

This Policy Page offers an update on the current status of TANF and child care and key issues affecting both the timing and substance of reauthorization this year.

Simplified Eligibility for Children's Medicaid in Texas: A Status Report at Nine Months (02/1/2003)

In 2002, Texas implemented a number of changes to its Medicaid program designed to make it simpler and easier for families to apply for coverage on their children's behalf, as well as to renew their children's coverage after they are successfully enrolled.

House Bill 1868 by Coleman: Medicaid for Recent Legal Immigrants (02/1/2003)

HB 1868 would ensure that Texas exercises all available options under federal law to option to draw federal Medicaid and CHIP matching dollars for otherwise-eligible LEGAL immigrants who entered the U.S. on or after 8/22/96.

Update on Co-Payments for Adults in Medicaid (01/9/2003)

Provides a synopsis of changes.

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