(Austin – March 2, 2015) – The Texas Hospital Association issued the following statement from Ted Shaw, THA president/ CEO, in response to proposals to seek flexibility from the federal government in how the state administers the Medicaid program.
“Texas hospitals are not averse to continuing discussions about building on the significant reforms already made in our Medicaid system, but our immediate concern is protecting the health care safety net and the ability of hospitals to deliver quality health care to all Texans.
Texas hospitals are asking state lawmakers to develop solutions that can address the state’s current and pressing needs, including:
- A growing population and a growing number of residents without health insurance;
- Increasing financial pressure on local counties and local property taxpayers;
- Increasing uncompensated care that shifts costs to employers and those with private health insurance; and
- Uncertainty around renewal of the 1115 Medicaid Transformation Waiver that has so effectively contained costs and spurred innovative care delivery.
Texas hospitals need two solutions to address these immediate challenges.
- A plan to make private health insurance affordable and accessible for the more than 1 million uninsured low-wage working Texans who currently have no access to private or public health insurance.
- Continued state funding of Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments to provide fiscal relief to over-burdened local taxing jurisdictions.
Together, these two solutions will strengthen the health care safety net and provide much-needed fiscal relief to counties, taxpayers and Texas businesses.”
About THA
Founded in 1930, the Texas Hospital Association is the leadership organization and principal advocate for the state’s hospitals and health care systems. Based in Austin, THA enhances its members’ abilities to improve accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Texans. One of the largest hospital associations in the country, THA represents 452 of the state’s non-federal general and specialty hospitals and health care systems, which employ some 369,000 health care professionals statewide. Learn more about THA at www.tha.org or follow THA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/texashospitals.