March 22, 2010
For Immediate Release
Health Reform Victory a Boost to Uninsured Texan Kids, including those Passed By in Texas Law
Measure Will Help Over 1 Million Kids in the State with the Most Children Lacking Coverage
AUSTIN – Texas advocates for children today hailed the passage of a landmark bill to overhaul the nation's health care system in ways that would make it easier for more than a million uninsured Texan kids to get covered and provide more reliable, affordable coverage for families statewide. Texans Care for Children, a nonpartisan advocacy organization with members throughout the state, noted that the victory is especially important for kids in Texas, where nearly one-fifth of the nation's uninsured children reside.
"More than any other state, Texas stands to benefit from this reform legislation, which will meet the needs of so many. From our children with preexisting conditions—who as soon as this year will no longer be denied coverage—to more than a million uninsured kids who need access to health care, to the millions of Texas taxpayers who pay a steep price for the costly prospect of letting children go unhealthy or insecure, this law is very good news,” said Eileen Garcia, Texans Care for Children's executive director.
The national law comes less than a year after the Texas Legislature narrowly missed an opportunity to extend Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage to 80,000 children from moderate-income families who currently have no real health insurance options on the private market. Although the measure received bipartisan support and funding in the state budget, it was defeated in the eleventh hour when state leaders failed to prioritize the needs of children. Another measure, to help more children who qualify for health coverage programs like CHIP and Medicaid now get the services they are eligible for, also failed in the 81st Legislature. A third bill, passed into law last year, would have allowed families of children with special health care needs to buy into coverage in the Medicaid program; however, that bill lost its funding due to recent calls for state budget cuts.
"We are calling on our state leaders to seize the opportunity this federal legislation provides to connect more children with doctors' offices and continue the gains in health coverage that state laws passed in 2007 helped to make possible,” Garcia said. "Promoting better health for our state's children is key to Texas's success.”
The nonprofit Texans Care for Children serves as a voice for children, a source on children and a network for people who put kids first. With policy analysis, statewide membership, grassroots campaigns, and research, the agency improves conditions for Texas kids in the areas of health, mental health, poverty, child protection, and juvenile justice. To learn more, visit www.txchildren.org.
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