The Texas House and Senate have each passed proposed budgets for the 2004-2005 biennium, and a conference committee is now meeting to draft a compromise budget to be submitted to both chambers. The following is a brief summary of some of the proposed reductions in health and human services only. With the exception of children’s Medicaid, these are reductions in existing services; the numbers do not reflect either current waiting lists for services or projected population or enrollment growth.
Program, House Cuts, Senate Cuts
Elderly/disabled community care, 56,000 people, 17,000 people
Medicaid maternity care, 17,200 women/month, 13,500 women/month
Med. drug coverage (Elderly/disabled), None, 208,000 aged/disabled
Med. drug coverage (ext. poverty), 145,000 people, 145,000 people
MHMR services, 10,000 people, 5,000 people
Children’s Medicaid*, 332,000 children, 298,000 children
Children’s health ins. (C.H.I.P.), 162,500 children, 162,500 children
C.H.I.P. benefits eliminated for those still covered: dental, medical equipment, chiropractic, hearing aids, home health, hospice, mental health, physical therapy, speech therapy, substance abuse services, vision care, eyeglasses.
*Reflects projected enrollment through 2005.
Source: Center for Public Policy Priorities, April 25, 2003
This article appears in May 9 • 2003.