What We Know About the Medicaid Expansion
Author:
Anne Dunkelberg /(512) 320-0222 x 102
August 1, 2012
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The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 28 decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could benefit Texas more than any other state, offering an opportunity to dramatically improve uninsured rates, increase family economic security, and reduce uncompensated care burdens. Legal experts say that the only change to the ACA was the removal of a full loss of federal Medicaid funds as a potential penalty for states denying coverage to U.S. citizen adults in 2014—all other Medicaid provisions remain in effect. Still, the Court’s decision raises the possibility that Texas could refuse to expand Medicaid to adults below and just above the federal poverty line, leaving billions of federal dollars on the table and millions of our poor uninsured.
Texans must now engage in a full and thoughtful conversation about what's at stake for our state so the Legislature can make an informed choice on a course of action.
This policy page provides a round-up of the latest information on how the Court’s decision affects Medicaid provisions of the ACA, and describes the latest revised estimates from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission of the costs of allowing Texas adults to enroll in Medicaid in 2014.