By Wohlgemuth, et al. H.C.R. No. 138 77R13251 MKS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Through the Medicaid program the federal government 1-2 matches state funding to provide certain low-income elderly, 1-3 disabled, and children with health care coverage; and 1-4 WHEREAS, To access federal funds, the State of Texas is 1-5 obligated to provide certain health care benefits to individuals 1-6 eligible for Medicaid without regard to costs or the actual needs 1-7 of individuals; and 1-8 WHEREAS, The Medicaid program now represents almost 1-9 one-quarter of Texas' biennial budget in all funds, having 1-10 increased four-fold during the last 10 years due to population 1-11 growth, medical inflation, and expanded eligibility; and 1-12 WHEREAS, During the same 10-year period, the rate of 1-13 individuals without health insurance in Texas has remained 1-14 substantially unchanged; and 1-15 WHEREAS, Medicaid offers little flexibility for Texas to 1-16 develop innovative methods of providing health care to individuals 1-17 with low incomes or with acute health care needs as it requires 1-18 permission from the federal government to make changes in the 1-19 program; and 1-20 WHEREAS, The recent experience of welfare reform at the 1-21 federal level has provided Texas with the opportunity to use 1-22 federal funds in a flexible manner while providing necessary 1-23 services to many; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Texas has been able to move significant numbers of 2-1 individuals from welfare to work by virtue of the flexibility 2-2 afforded by congress; and 2-3 WHEREAS, As recently as 1996, congress proposed returning 2-4 Medicaid funds to the state as a block grant; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Providing Medicaid funds to Texas as a block grant, 2-6 with consideration for population growth and demographics, would 2-7 offer the flexibility needed to meet the unique needs of the state 2-8 and provide better access to quality health care; now, therefore, 2-9 be it 2-10 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-11 hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to 2-12 provide Medicaid funds to Texas in the form of a block grant; and, 2-13 be it further 2-14 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 2-15 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 2-16 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 2-17 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 2-18 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 2-19 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 2-20 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. 2-21 BEGCAPTION 2-22 Urging congress to provide Medicaid funds to Texas in the form of a 2-23 block grant. 2-24 ENDCAPTION