Legislative Update from the
Children’s Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT)

The 85^th 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.

Children in Foster Care
Need Improved Medical Care

As legislators look at plans to overhaul the Texas foster care system, CHAT is advocating for two main changes:

• A required initial health screening exam within 72 hours of a child entering foster care.

• A state-funded Child Protective Services (CPS) worker to be placed in children’s hospitals and/or specialty foster care clinics to avoid placement disruptions and lengthy hospital stays beyond days that are medically necessary. 

Placing CPS workers in children’s hospitals and clinics that provide a comprehensive array of services designed for children in foster care will avoid unnecessary days in the hospital and help ensure proper placement of children. A CPS worker in the hospital could reduce hospital stays (which helps reduce overall costs), reduce disrupted placements and ensure more in-home support is provided.

Pay Hospitals Appropriately for
Providing Outpatient Services

• Outpatient services are:
  • Often closer to people’s homes, meaning less time away from work or school to receive services; and
  • Provided at a lower cost than inpatient services.
• Using outpatient services:
  • Ensures capacity in the inpatient setting for those who need that level of care; and
  • Meets the triple aim of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to (1) improve patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction); (2) improve the health of populations, and (3) reduce the per capita cost of health care. 

You Can Help!

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