We need your help to get all Texans covered!

You've been hearing a lot from us about expanding Medicaid, but at this point in the legislative session it is pretty clear: Texas won't be doing what other states are and enroll more people in Medicaid. Still, the state legislature has the opportunity to cover 1.5 million Texans who will otherwise have no insurance next year. HB 3791 by Rep. John Zerwas (Ft. Bend) could give Texans that chance. No, it’s not Medicaid Expansion, but it takes action to make sure that low-income Texans will have health coverage available. This bill is headed to the full Texas State House very soon and we want it to pass.

As our friends at Texas Impact point out, although the bill does not expand Medicaid:

It would use newly available state and federal funds to provide private insurance to low-income adults. These adults are pre-school teachers and eldercare attendants, farmers and bakers, cashiers and truck drivers. They work hard for Texas, and they need health insurance. HB 3791 could help more than 1 million Texans get covered.

It’s not the Medicaid expansion we wanted, but we support HB 3791 because it will help low-income adults get health insurance.

This is a critical time, and we are asking every Texan who cares about this issue to make a call to their Representative in the House right away. Say, "I'm your constituent. Please support HB 3791 and health coverage for Texans."

Find your representative and the phone number to call here.

Written by: Mimi Garcia and Laura Brubaker, Engage Texas