Konni Burton: Where Texas stands on MEDICAID

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5

Remember, Medicaid became the largest component of the state budget a couple years ago:

As controversial and mismanaged as the Affordable Care Act has been, I do not foresee Texas expanding Medicaid any time soon. There is no guarantee the funding stream from the federal government will be available as promised seeing that our government now operates purely on borrowed money.

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Texas leaders are aware of the costs of health care and opted in 2011 to request a Medicaid 1115 Waiver, in which the federal government granted our state $29 billion over 5 years to increase efficiency and quality care while reducing costs for our most low-income residents. An extension was granted to Texas last week, such that Texas hospitals will continue to function as normal for the next 15 months and receive an additional $3.1 billion infusion into our Medicaid system.

During the 2017 session, the Legislature will be taking a hard look at Medicaid and health care subsidies, as this category now receives the highest expenditure from the state, equating to roughly 34% of our budget or $70.3 billion, and surpasses spending on all levels of education, which is a core function of state government.

Read the whole thing here.