New Poll Confirms Texans Support Medicaid Expansion, But Legislature Misses Key Deadline for Action

For Immediate Release
May 8, 2023
Contact: Peter Clark, [email protected]

Austin - A new poll from the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin shows overwhelming support for Medicaid expansion from Texas voters — including Republicans — but the Legislature has failed to move forward with Medicaid expansion this session, missing a key legislative deadline today.

The poll shows that 73% of Texans support Medicaid expansion, with only 17% opposed. It also found that 61% of Republican voters in Texas, including 63% of “Strong Republican” voters in Texas, support Medicaid expansion.

Despite strong support for Medicaid expansion, and legislators filing numerous bills to implement it, the Legislature has failed to move forward with Medicaid expansion this session.

Today is the deadline for Texas House committees to pass House bills, but neither the House nor the Senate has held a hearing this session on Medicaid expansion bills or brought the bills up for a vote.

"We're deeply disturbed that the Legislature continues to ignore Texas voters," said Adrienne Lloyd, Health Policy Manager at Children's Defense Fund-Texas. "State leaders are doing everything they can to avoid having a conversation about all the ways Texas would benefit from Medicaid expansion—perhaps because they’re afraid Texans will see just how good an idea it is. But the fact is, that conversation is already happening all over the state. Leaders have two options: they can continue standing in the way — and reject millions in federal taxpayer dollars — or they can be remembered for championing health care for our communities.

Texas is one of just 10 states that continues to reject Medicaid expansion. As a result, Texas workers below the poverty line typically are not eligible for health insurance through Medicaid. Under Medicaid expansion, an estimated 1.4 million uninsured low-wage Texans would become eligible for Medicaid health insurance. Texas has the worst uninsured rate in the nation, lagging far behind neighboring states that have implemented Medicaid expansion, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. (More information on Medicaid expansion, what it would mean for Texas, and these data points is available here.)

“Medicaid expansion would pump billions of dollars into the Texas economy, help keep rural hospitals open, and make Texas families healthier,” said Anne Dunkelberg, Senior Fellow at Every Texan. “It’s unacceptable that state leaders failed to take any action on Medicaid expansion this session.”

While legislative leaders blocked consideration of any Medicaid expansion bills this session, legislators have forced two votes on the issue in recent weeks by proposing Medicaid expansion amendments to other bills on the House floor. An amendment by Rep. Chris Turner was voted down 83-65, and an amendment by Rep. Yvonne Davis was voted down 84-57. The votes were largely along party lines.

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