1-1     By:  Wohlgemuth, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Harris)    H.C.R. No. 138
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001;
 1-3     May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
 1-4     May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 11,
 1-5     Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                         HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-7           WHEREAS, Through the Medicaid program the federal government
 1-8     matches state funding to provide certain low-income elderly,
 1-9     disabled, and children with health care coverage; and
1-10           WHEREAS, To access federal funds, the State of Texas is
1-11     obligated to provide certain health care benefits to individuals
1-12     eligible for Medicaid without regard to costs or the actual needs
1-13     of individuals; and
1-14           WHEREAS, The Medicaid program now represents almost
1-15     one-quarter of Texas' biennial budget in all funds, having
1-16     increased four-fold during the last 10 years due to population
1-17     growth, medical inflation, and expanded eligibility; and
1-18           WHEREAS, During the same 10-year period, the rate of
1-19     individuals without health insurance in Texas has remained
1-20     substantially unchanged; and
1-21           WHEREAS, Medicaid offers little flexibility for Texas to
1-22     develop innovative methods of providing health care to individuals
1-23     with low incomes or with acute health care needs as it requires
1-24     permission from the federal government to make changes in the
1-25     program; and
1-26           WHEREAS, The recent experience of welfare reform at the
1-27     federal level has provided Texas with the opportunity to use
1-28     federal funds in a flexible manner while providing necessary
1-29     services to many; and
1-30           WHEREAS, Texas has been able to move significant numbers of
1-31     individuals from welfare to work by virtue of the flexibility
1-32     afforded by congress; and
1-33           WHEREAS, As recently as 1996, congress proposed returning
1-34     Medicaid funds to the state as a block grant; and
1-35           WHEREAS, Providing Medicaid funds to Texas as a block grant,
1-36     with  consideration for population growth and demographics, would
1-37     offer the flexibility needed to meet the unique needs of the state
1-38     and provide better access to quality health care; now, therefore,
1-39     be it
1-40           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
1-41     hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to
1-42     provide Medicaid funds to Texas in the form of a block grant; and,
1-43     be it further
1-44           RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
1-45     copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
1-46     the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of
1-47     the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of
1-48     the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this
1-49     resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a
1-50     memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
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