A Path to Expanding Health Coverage to More Texans

We work with a larger cohort of organizations under the coalition Cover Texas Now (CTN), which brings consumer and Faith-based organizations together to ensure Texas implements a sustainable health care system and provides quality affordable health coverage to its citizens. CTN recently finalized its legislative agenda for the 84th Texas Legislature, and it includes many strategies and initiatives related to the effective implementation of the Affordable Care Act in our state. Below are just a few of the key bullet points we want to highlight and will actively be working on during session. You can read the entire CTN legislative agenda here.

Close the Coverage Gap

• Accept federal healthcare funds to ensure low-wage Texans have options for affordable healthcare coverage.  Currently, there are more than one million Texans who are in the Texas “Coverage Gap.” They do not qualify for the current Medicaid option for adults which provides coverage only to parents up to 19% of the FPL ($313 a month for a family of 3) and make too little to receive financial assistance in the Marketplace.
• The Coverage Gap can be closed by expanding traditional Medicaid. It can also be closed by negotiating with the federal government to develop a custom-built, private-coverage solution for our state, something that many conservative states have successfully negotiated.

Ensure all Texans have access to the robust information and assistance they need to gain, use, and maintain quality health insurance.

• Ensure Texas has a diverse, stable, sufficient corps of paid and volunteer assisters to maximize Texans’ participation in available health insurance programs.
• Research indicates that a majority of Americans, including Texans, prefer or require in-person assistance to apply for and enroll in health insurance. Types of assisters include licensed health insurance agents, health and social service professionals, community-based volunteers, and others.  Lawmakers should affirm the important role assisters play in our state’s health insurance system, and ensure that all assisters receive the support they need to perform their work.