HOUSTON – They say Gov. Rick Perry is "throwing them under the bus" by refusing to accept billions of federal dollars to expand Texas' Medicaid program under an optional provision of Obamacare. Hundreds of advocates and protestors from around the state are expected to rally at the Capitol this afternoon (Friday), hoping to win a face-to-face meeting with the governor. And they have some tough questions to pose, according to Durrel Douglas of the Texas Organizing Project.

"We want to know: if you're turning away this option, what is your plan? And how do you plan to fill this gaping hole, where there are millions of people who don't have health care? Because throwing two million Texans under the bus is not the way to go."

Expanding Medicaid was supposed to be one of the key ways to cover low-income Americans under the Affordable Care Act. But when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this spring that states could not be forced into adopting the provision, leaders in some states - including Texas - quickly announced they would reject the new federal assistance, both on principle, and out of fear that they might have to pick up the tab in future years.

Texas has the lowest rate of health insurance coverage in the nation, with almost a quarter of its residents uninsured. Research shows that figure could be cut in half with expanded Medicaid, and that minorities will disproportionately feel the loss in states that don't participate.

Gladys Vasquez, 50, a home-health aide in Houston, will attend the Austin rally. Earning $9 an hour, she says she can't afford insurance or doctor visits.

"I am working 45 or 50 hours a week, and when I get sick, I don't like to see the doctor, because if I don't die from the sickness, I die when I see the bill for the doctor."

She says she'll be losing income from 12 hours of work in order to travel to the Capitol, but feels she is representing many friends and neighbors who also dream of someday having health coverage.

Douglas points out that the feds will pay for the Medicaid expansion for three years, after which states will be responsible for up to ten percent. It's a great deal, he says - and Texas should reconsider it.

"When you have a governor of a state that has the worst health care in the nation, that tells Gladys Vasquez, 'I'm sorry, these options that would expand healthcare for my state: I don't want them, for my political reasons. You're on your own.' That's insensitive, illogical, not fair."

Some states have signaled they will ask the government if they can adopt the expansion plan, but only partially. And some Texas counties are investigating whether they can sign up on their own if the state turns down the program.

Coordinated rallies are planned today in Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, culminating in the Austin event at the State Capitol. Details are online at organizetexas.org.




get more stories like this via email

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo - D-Thornton - recently paid a visit to Salud Family Health Centers' mobile clinic.

Each year, Salud serves up to two thousand migrant farmworkers who travel from other states and countries to plant and harvest leafy greens, corn, wheat, sugar beets, and other crops in North Central and Northeastern Colorado.

Director Deborah Salazar said her team always gets a very warm welcome.

"And it's usually the same guys that come to the same farms or greenhouses," said Salazar. "And so it's like seeing old friends. They know who we are, they know what we can do for them, and they trust us. There is trust because we have been doing this for a very long time."

In addition to its 12 brick and mortar health centers, and ten school sites, the mobile unit provides primary health services three to four evenings per week - primarily in rural areas.

They screen workers for diabetes, hypertension, cervical cancer, and anemia. Workers can also get lab tests, and flu and tetanus vaccines.

Salud is a federally qualified community health center that provides medical, dental, pharmacy, and behavioral health care services to all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

The first clinic on wheels was acquired in 1980, and Salazar said a brand new unit was rolled out in 2022.

She said her team works to build relationships with farm owners and supervisors to find the best time to plan a visit.

"If they need us to come out and start our visit on the mobile unit at 7 p.m, we can do that," said Salazar. "We are super flexible, because we don't want to interrupt their work day."

Salazar said the medical staff on the mobile unit might be the only people migrant workers see when they are not out planting and harvesting crops.

"These are the folks that put food on our table," said Salazar. "To give them quality, integrated health care - and go to them, so that they are taken care of - this is the least we can do."




get more stories like this via email

After more than 50 years of use, some Michigan lawmakers say naloxone may not be the best choice in an overdose situation.

Naloxone is sometimes called the "Lazarus drug" because of its powerful ability to seemingly resurrect people after a drug overdose.

Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and some of his colleagues have introduced a bill which would open the door for what they say are more costly, but more powerful, antidotes.

"Given the prevalence of fentanyl in our communities, and how much stronger some of these drugs that we're now seeing are, we believe -- and in talking with others -- that there should be other tools to respond to an overdose," Hertel explained. "To make sure we're doing everything we can to save somebody's life."

Not everyone is on board with the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 542. Opponents argued the more expensive naloxone alternatives are not necessary, and using them would only increase profits for the pharmaceutical industry.

Jonathan Stoltman, director of the Opioid Policy Institute in Grand Rapids, said while the naloxone alternatives do help in overdose situations, they can also cause nasty side effects.

"The newer approaches, they put people into more severe withdrawal," Stoltman pointed out. "That's a pretty profound negative side effect. The one approach is very inexpensive and works great; the other approach is far more expensive and has this strong negative side effect."

Sponsors of the bill say they're hoping to give Michigan residents a chance to chime in on the issue in a public hearing sometime in June. Michigan saw more than 3,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2021.


get more stories like this via email

New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.