As Texas confronts the dual crises of a pandemic and a massive rise in unemployment, it’s clear that addressing health insurance must be part of the state’s coronavirus strategy.
Why is health insurance so important right now?
We are ALL healthier when ALL Texans have access to health care, especially during a pandemic. We need to make sure Texans aren’t priced out of COVID-19 testing and treatment — or the care they need for anything from strep throat to maternal depression to cancer. And when Texans have the extra financial stability that insurance provides, our families and economy are better equipped to manage and recover from an economic slump like the one we’re going through now.
That’s why we urgently need to address the health insurance needs of:
low-wage workers battling this crisis on the front lines, such as home health aides, grocery store employees, and child care educators caring for the kids of doctors and other essential workers;
all the Texans who have recently lost their jobs in restaurants, factories, and other sectors;
the children and families of these and other workers; and
the many Texans who were already uninsured here in the state with the highest uninsured rate in the nation.
There are four key areas where we need state leaders to take action as part of a comprehensive approach:
Make sure that uninsured Texans have access to care.
Key step: Make COVID-19 testing and related visits available to uninsured Texans. Congress provided funding to accomplish this goal through the first coronavirus relief package, but states must opt-in to receive the funding.
Make sure health insurance is as effective and responsive as possible during this moment.
Key step: Temporarily modify the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to waive enrollment fees, the 90-day waiting period, and copays for medications and other services. Texas waived copays for all CHIP-covered services during Hurricane Harvey recovery. We appreciate that Texas already waived CHIP copays for office visits and telehealth.
Make sure more Texans have access to health insurance.
Key step: Join the 37 other states (including DC) where health insurance is now available to low-wage adults (beyond just pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities) when their income falls below the poverty line. To accomplish that goal, Texas should accept the Medicaid expansion funding offered by the federal government.
Make sure Texans who are suddenly uninsured know about the options that are available.
Key step: Revitalize outreach to families about Children’s Medicaid and CHIP. The state and its community partners should also make sure Texans know that if they recently lost their insurance, they are allowed to sign up for insurance through healthcare.gov even though the annual open enrollment period is over. Subsidies to significantly reduce the price of insurance are typically available to Texans above the poverty line. (Medicaid expansion, instead of healthcare.gov subsidies, is intended for individuals below the poverty line.)
Along with over 50 Texas groups, we recently sent a letter to state leaders outlining these and other recommendations. In the coming days, we will continue to work with you, state officials, and our partners to make progress on these critical steps.