LATEST WORK
America Has a Health Care Spending Problem, Not a Medicaid Problem
May 15, 2012
Associate Director Anne Dunkelberg testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services May 8. The committee was hearing public testimony related to current and future spending cuts to the Texas Medicaid program. Her testimony stressed that Medicaid per capita costs have grown more slowly than either Medicare or private insurance, and that Texas Medicaid costs per enrollee have dropped over the last decade.
Comments: Improve Care and Satisfaction for Texans Enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare
May 15, 2012
The center submitted comments to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on the agency’s draft proposal to federal Medicaid and Medicare authorities for a “Texas Dual Eligible Integrated Care Demonstration Project” which would pilot having low-income seniors who qualify for Medicaid and Medicare get coordinated health care and long term services and supports from a single HMO.
Comments to HHS: New Rules Shouldn't Create New Barriers for Families
May 14, 2012
The center submitted comments to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on two sets of rules relating to the eligibility determinations and enrollment of individuals into health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These rules are critically important to ensure the successful implementation of the ACA and that consumers have a family-friendly and seamless experience in the years ahead. The center’s comments focus on how coordination requirements for Medicaid, CHIP, and new Health Insurance Exchanges can be strengthened to reduce the barriers faced by families.
Nearly 25,000 Texans to Lose Unemployment Insurance this Saturday
May 11, 2012
Texas is among eight other states getting hit by cuts to the federal unemployment insurance (UI) program on Saturday. Nearly 25,000 Texans will be cut off from federal UI tomorrow, leaving more Texas families without needed assistance while the economy recovers.
School Budget Cuts Threaten to Increase Summer Childhood Hunger
May 10, 2012
Texas households experience food insecurity at a rate of nearly 19 percent (one of the highest in the nation). Kids without access to meals are less likely to perform well in school and more likely to be at risk of poor health. While most children have access to meals during the year through the national school lunch program, participation in summer nutrition programs is drastically low, causing food insecurity rates to jump during summer months.
Texas Jobs Snapshots for February and March 2012
April 25, 2012
"What we need are good jobs that pay us a living wage, provide health benefits, and allow us to build assets. And what businesses really need are customers. They hire when we are buying more. Our policies should encourage growth in good jobs that provide ALL of us the opportunity to be productive Texans." — Don Baylor, Senior Policy Analyst
State Board of Education Approves Financial Literacy for Math Curriculum
April 23, 2012
“CPPP applauds the State Board of Education for approving robust curriculum standards for the new statutory requirement (SB 290) that financial literacy be incorporated into the K-8 grade math curriculum. The standards, which include content about the connection between educational attainment and earnings, along with instruction about financial preparation for postsecondary education, will help Texas students become more financially capable adults.”
Cuts to SNAP Will Hurt Texas Families Struggling to Afford Food
April 19, 2012
The center on yesterday’s vote by the U.S. House of Representative’s Agriculture Committee to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps).
“Yesterday’s vote by the U.S. House of Representative’s Agriculture Committee to cut SNAP by $33 billion will hurt the families struggling to afford food in this time of high unemployment and economic distress. A cut of this magnitude would affect over 300,000 Texas families who will struggle to put food on the table without the support SNAP provides. SNAP was designed to expand when unemployment is high and contract as economic conditions improve. In this way the program assures that Texans stay healthy during period of job loss and stimulates our struggling economy. Cuts to this program will only weaken our nation’s ability to weather these rough economic times and return to prosperity."
To view a complete listing of all of our work by date, click here.