President's Message
With the highest rate of uninsured people in the nation,
Texas must find solutions to make health coverage more accessible and affordable. The recently approved federal stimulus package provides financial resources that can help the state’s Medicaid program. The Texas Legislature has tremendous opportunities to improve the state’s intake system, ensure availability of Medicaid providers by making reimbursement rates commensurate with costs, recreate a medically needy program and implement electronic medical records to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Unfortunately, some legislators and state leaders question the wisdom of using stimulus money to improve Medicaid and expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program. They are concerned that temporary measures will become permanent state burdens when the federal funding stops. Perhaps the most serious concern is that state lawmakers will accept the funds intended for health care, and then divert state general revenue dollars away from health programs. Substituting federal dollars for state funds does not achieve the intended goal: helping low-income people receive needed health care during this economic crisis. Hospitals and other stakeholders are working proactively to inform legislators and leaders of the opportunities the stimulus package offers to help reduce the number of uninsured Texans. However, a groundswell of support is needed to persuade some fiscally-conservative lawmakers that investing in health care pays long-term dividends. Please use THA's toolkit materials to educate your hospital family as well as your community about the serious health policy challenges now in play in Austin and Washington. I know that with the support of our local communities and the news media, hospitals can be effective advocates for using health care stimulus monies wisely. With your help – and those you influence – Texas hospitals can help patients get the benefits intended through the economic recovery package. Working together, we can be a positive force for real change.
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