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