How Hospitals Are Asking the Legislature To Enhance Insurance Coverage
The Texas Hospital Association is advocating for expanded health coverage, improved Medicaid reimbursement rates, and increased behavioral health funding as the 87th Texas Legislature convenes this month.
The pandemic has created massive revenue shortfalls that could total $4.6 billion, so the ask for increased funding may be a tall order. Still, THA officials are optimistic that the health challenges wrought from the pandemic will increase the likelihood of advancing their goals.
Medicaid expansion has become a dirty word for many of those with the power to bring bills to the Texas Legislature floor, even with ample evidence that expanding coverage could boost the state’s revenue. For several years, Texas has led the nation in the number (5 million), and rate (18 percent) of uninsured residents, and expanding the eligibility for Medicaid would not only give vulnerable populations access to regular healthcare, but decrease the amount of uncompensated care provided by hospitals to uninsured residents who have nowhere to go but the emergency room.
Pandemic-related job losses also have contributed to an increase in the number of uninsured residents. With federal money available to Texas, the state’s hospitals are pushing for an expansion of some sort. Because it’s such a hot button topic with many legislators, THA doesn’t always push the issue. But the pandemic has made expanding coverage an even greater priority.
Read more: https://www.dmagazine.com/healthcare-business/2021/01/tx-lege-hospitals-want-to-increase-insurance-coverage-without-expanding-medicaid/