By Ryan Poppe, Texas Public Radio News
AUSTIN – Democratic local and national leaders meet at the state capitol in an attempt to convince others that Texas needs to accept a federal Medicaid Expansion Plan.
Democratic leaders from across the state crammed into a press room at the capitol to implore Governor Rick Perry and his fellow Republicans to take another look at the federal Medicaid Expansion Plan that affords Texas 67-billion dollars in the first 3-years with no need for repayment. San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro led the rally cry.
JOAQUIN CASTRO: “Today, Texas has the highest rate of folks without healthcare coverage. 25% of our population do not have access to healthcare. Even though many states, including states with staunch Republican Governors have said expanding Medicaid is the right thing to do, the governor has stubbornly refused to do so”
Democratic Representative Trey Martinez-Fisher of San Antonio says Governor Perry is simply putting off fixing Texas ‘broken healthcare issues by saying “No” to Medicaid Expansion.
TREY MARTINEZ -FISHER: “To say the system is broken and we should ignore, Let talk about our public education system, the system is broken and we are funding it. Let’s talk about our Texas water infrastructure- it is short by 53-billion dollars, we’re still funding it. The only subject-matter that we are not funding with the excuse that the system is broken is Medicaid”
Others, like Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett advocate for private-partnership healthcare exchange. One of the plans Republicans are pushing calls for a Block Grant, which would allow the state to accept federal dollars without having to adhere to a Medicaid Expansion plan.
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