Legislative Update from the
Children’s Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT)
The 85th Texas Legislative Session began on January 10, and legislators are likely to address many issues that directly affect health care for Texas children. CHAT encourages your active engagement in and support of these issues. Additionally, both the federal and state governments are discussing extensive reform of the Medicaid program.
Over three million Texas children are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides coverage for basic preventive services as well as for highly specialized care for children with complex medical conditions. Children with access to Medicaid are more likely to attend school, graduate from high school, and go to college, becoming healthier adults who will earn higher wages and pay more in taxes than children who do not have appropriate health care.
Topics of particular interest include improvements to medical care for children in state conservatorship, appropriate funding for health care services for children, and ensuring that Medicaid continues to provide developmentally and age-appropriate care for children to ensure that they become healthy and productive adults.
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