Biden’s Plan Closes Coverage Gap in States that Blocked Medicaid Expansion

We’re getting close!

After years of fighting for Medicaid expansion in Texas, we’re on the verge of finally getting health insurance for Texans in the coverage gap — and many other health care proposals we’ve been fighting for.

Last week, following weeks of negotiations in Congress, President Biden announced a framework for the Build Back Better budget package. We were thrilled to see that the President's plan would close the health coverage gap in states that have blocked Medicaid expansion. Specifically, the framework would provide low-wage adults with subsidies to sign up for comprehensive health insurance on HealthCare.Gov for $0 per month for the next four years.

But that’s not all!

In addition to closing the coverage gap, the plan also includes other critical health care provisions that we’ve been fighting for, including:

• 12 months of continuous health coverage for children so they don’t lose their Medicaid insurance and miss out on medical care just because a parent picks up a few extra shifts at work;

• A full 12 months of Medicaid health insurance for moms after pregnancy — the top recommendation of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee;

• A continuation of the additional financial assistance for folks signing up for insurance on HealthCare.Gov, allowing most people who sign up to pay less than $10 per month for comprehensive coverage; and

• Guidelines to protect Americans enrolled in Medicaid from becoming uninsured at the end of the current COVID-19 public health emergency.

The health care components of this package are truly transformational. More parents will catch cancer before it spreads or get the mental health care they need. More kids will show up to school healthy and ready to learn. More moms will get the support they need for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. More progress will be made towards dismantling the racial disparities in our health care system. More lives will be saved.

Of course, the health care provisions are only part of the package, which also makes big investments in addressing climate change, early learning, reducing child poverty through the expanded Child Tax Credit, and other areas.

We’re so thankful to President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, the Texans in Congress who have fought for these proposals, and of course to YOU for helping us get so close to reaching these goals.

But we aren’t quite there yet!

Let’s keep up the pressure on Congress to swiftly finalize and pass the Build Back Better package and close the health coverage gap!

Thank you for continuing to fight for health care for all Texans!