We have been in the midst of an office move and some technology hiccups, and thus missed the chance earlier to say much about the Austin American Statesman's great report last week on what proposed cuts to health and human services really mean for Texans. As the report explains, programs slated to receive fewer dollars in the latest round of budget cuts include one that connects children with special health care needs such as cystic fibrosis with life-saving medical assistance, inspection programs that prevent child abuse and food contamination, and payments to medical providers who serve low-income children (thereby reducing kids' access to health care). A Twitter post from the news website the day the front-page article appeared asked, "Is that where the waste is? What would you cut instead?” No one from the feed's tens of thousands of followers responded with any suggestions other than that these cuts were a bad idea and the state needs more revenue.
It should go without saying that these are vital programs. That's no less true for us taxpayers than it is for the children served. Take the example of a child with no health insurance. When all the costs are considered—those associated with the greater illnesses the child suffers for not having received preventative care, the increased absences at school and time his parent misses work, the emergency room costs for when he finally does see a doctor, and so forth—you, as a taxpayer pay about twice as much for that child to go without insurance, compared to the relatively low price of providing that child with CHIP or Medicaid coverage.
Of course, giving the child coverage without being willing to pay his health provider a fair rate means the doctor's care still may not be there for him, and he will continue to carry the costs of an uninsured child. Texas was one of a handful of large states to make real progress in getting more children their early screenings and pediatric care in recent years, due to an increase in reimbursements for providers following a lawsuit. But as a Fort Worth Star-Telegram report, also published last week, explains, that progress could very well be undone by the current round of cuts. And there is talk of more to come.
If the appeals to financial reasoning fail to stir action, the life-or-death reality of some of these cuts should at least give Texans pause. Among those vulnerable to the cuts is a small, but "hugely important” program called Children with Special Health Care Needs, said disability expert and Texas Children's Mental Health Forum participant Colleen Horton to the Statesman. When asked about the impact of extending the waitlist for the medically fragile children who rely on the program, Horton explained: "What the wait often means is that the child dies. If you wait two or three years, there's a good chance they may not be here when their name comes up."
