Center for Public Policy Priorities News

Child Protective Services in Texas: Buying What We Want

Jane Burstain — 2012-01-30T13:58:31-06:00

We want our child protective services (CPS) system to keep children safe at home whenever possible--it's better for the child and cheaper for the state and federal government. The reality, however, is that Texas (and every other state) spends most of its CPS budget on foster care and adoption. This report discusses why this disconnect exists and recommends ways to better align what we want with what we buy

Comments: Essential Health Benefits Are Critical Component of Health Reform

Stacey Pogue — 2012-02-01T10:54:02-06:00

The center along with nine other Texas consumer groups submitted comments to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to offer ways in which HHS' approach to essential health benefits can be strengthened and improved to support access to quality, affordable health care for all Texans.

One in Two Texans Has Almost No �Rainy Day� Savings to Bank On

Don Baylor — 2012-01-31T12:11:11-06:00

In Texas today, 27.7 percent of households are "asset poor," meaning they have little or no financial cushion to rely on if unemployment or another emergency leads to a loss of income, according to a report from the national nonprofit Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED). Excluding important assets such as a vehicle or home, the (liquid) asset poverty rate increases to 50.6 percent of Texas residents.

New Report on School Breakfast Shows Texas Outperforms Most States; Houston ISD Ranks 3rd Among America's Big Cities

Celia Cole — 2012-01-31T10:51:50-06:00

Two new national reports on the National School Breakfast Program demonstrate Texas' strong commitment to improving the nutrition, health, and academic achievement of its students by providing them a nutritious start to the school day.

Congress Should Continue Emergency UI, Forget Phony Reforms

Leslie Helmcamp — 2012-01-30T15:40:02-06:00

Unemployment insurance (UI) is a critical piece of ensuring financial stability for families and economic recovery for communities during times of high joblessness. Over the next several days, Congress will debate whether to continue emergency unemployment insurance benefits through 2012 as well as various changes to the program. Even as the unemployment rate continues to improve, it will take several years of strong job growth to return to pre-recession employment levels. There are too few jobs available for the number of job seekers, with more than four workers per job opening. Since the federal UI extensions began in Texas in 2008, Texans have made more than two million federal unemployment claims, totaling well over $9 billion. These dollars have protected families and generated demand for goods and services, helping maintain jobs. Cutting off UI abruptly will devastate families and undermine communities. Emergency UI will automatically phase out as the economy improves and the unemployment rate drops. In the meantime, Congress should continue UI through 2012 and reject phony reforms proposed in the House that would allow states to lower benefit amounts, use UI revenues for other programs, and deny UI to workers.

Consumer Groups Applaud Federal Rejection of Texas Effort to Delay Health Reform Consumer Protection

Stacey Pogue — 2012-01-27T13:01:53-06:00

Federal officials today rejected the Texas Department of Insurance's (TDI's) request to delay full implementation of a new rule that requires insurers to increase the value of health insurance or provide rebates to policyholders.

Texas Jobs Snapshot for December: Strong Job Growth, Unemployment Down

Leslie Helmcamp,Don Baylor — 2011-09-16T15:41:29-06:00

Texas' showed strong job growth in December 2011 as the unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent down from 8.1 percent in November.

Essential Health Benefits in Texas

Stacey Pogue — 2012-01-25T13:53:05-06:00

On December 16, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a bulletin describing its proposed approach to defining the "essential health benefits" under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, commonly referred to as national health reform). Starting in 2014, the essential health benefits (EHB) will serve as a floor for the package of health care services that must be covered in many health insurance policies. The ACA establishes some parameters for EHB, but HHS' recent bulletin leaves it up to the states to define EHB within the federal framework. HHS is accepting public comment on its EHB approach through January 31, 2012, via EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov. This Policy Page explains EHB, reviews Texas' options, and discusses what we still do not know about minimum standards for coverage in 2014.

Year in Review: 2011 Annual Report

Scott McCown — 2012-01-23T16:22:19-06:00

2011 was a big year, with a fierce battle at the Capitol for Texas children and famillies, numerous honors and awards, the release of our Better Texas Film, and our 25th Anniversary Legacy Luncheon, where we announced we will be expanding to a new space on North Lamar.

City of Austin Triples OpportunityTexas Tax-Time Savings Project

Laura Rosen,Don Baylor — 2012-01-18T16:49:16-06:00

OpportunityTexas, a joint project of CPPP and RAISE Texas working to expand economic opportunity through education and asset building, is entering its second year of promoting savings at community tax centers by providing incentives for low-income filers to save a portion of their tax refunds.

Texas Health Care 2011: What Has Happened and the Work that Remains

Anne Dunkelberg — 2011-12-20T15:15:24-06:00

Texas Health Care 2011 (PDF)

Providing affordable, quality health care for all is a tough challenge for our state and nation. Health care costs are growing far faster than general inflation, and despite spending that exceeds all other industrialized nations, nearly 50 million Americans, and one in four Texans, lacks health care coverage. Both privately insured Texans and those covered by Medicaid and CHIP (mostly children, seniors, and Texans with disabilities) face shortages of doctors and other health care providers. These challenges are not limited to Texas or to Medicaid; they cut across all of our health care system.

Undermining the Texas Economy: The 2012-13 Texas State Budget

Eva DeLuna Castro — 2011-12-19T14:47:08-06:00

This report analyzes our state's new budget, focusing on areas that are especially important to low- and moderate-income Texans. The report looks at both "General Revenue" spending (revenue that is primarily from state taxes) and "All Funds" spending (which also includes federal revenue, general revenue that is statutorily dedicated to a specific program, and "Other" legally earmarked revenue such as State Highway or Property Tax Relief funds).

Statement: McCown Rates PolitiFact PANTS ON FIRE for UI Column

Scott McCown — 2011-12-19T11:09:15-06:00

Center for Public Policy Priorities Executive Director F. Scott McCown made the following comments on the Austin American Statesman's PolitiFact:

"In a post on December 15, and again in today's newspaper, the Austin American Statesman's PolitiFact labeled �Mostly False' a point made by U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett that is supported by mainstream economists, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. To that we say, PANTS ON FIRE.

Statement: Recent Federal Report on Child Maltreatment Probably Reflects Budget Cuts, Not Less Child Abuse

Jane Burstain — 2011-12-14T10:23:28-06:00

Senior Policy Analyst Jane Burstain, Ph.D., on the recently released federal Child Maltreatment report. The report showed a decline in the rate of kids being identified as abuse and neglect victims in 2010 as compared to rates in 2008. Some are claiming this means that there are fewer kids being abused and neglected.

"A more likely explanation for falling rates of identified maltreatment is that budget cuts are forcing state agencies to selectively spend their limited resources on fewer cases. And, in fact, the Child Maltreatment report shows state child welfare agencies are investigating fewer abuse and neglect reports and, when they do investigate, are less likely to identify kids as a victim. So it probably isn't that there's less child abuse and neglect; it is more likely that with budget cuts, state agencies can do less to identify and address it."

Statement on Comptroller's Revised Revenue Estimate

Dick Lavine — 2011-12-13T15:43:38-06:00

Senior Fiscal Analyst Dick Lavine on the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts revised revenue estimate released yesterday.

"To meet the needs of all Texans for education--the proven path to better jobs--and health and human services--vital protection for Texas families--our state must reform its out-of-date revenue system."

Statement on Approval of Waiver That Allows Texas to Expand Medicaid Managed Care

Anne Dunkelberg — 2011-12-12T17:23:06-06:00

Associate Director Anne Dunkelberg on the approval of the "Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement" Medicaid 1115 Waiver. (Note: This waiver is different from the waiver to block grant Medicaid, which the Health and Human Services Commission has not yet submitted and about which the Center has grave concerns.)

Press Release: New Report Calls on Congress to Restore and Reform TANF Block Grant Funding to Help Children in Poverty; Without Restoration Texas Stands to Lose $52.7 Million

Celia Cole — 2011-12-01T15:31:55-06:00

(AUSTIN, Texas) ─ Today, First Focus, a bipartisan child advocacy organization, released a report highlighting the enormous and growing gulf in funding between states to help children in poverty that is the result of flaws in the design of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The report, "TANF Supplemental Grants: Reforming and Restoring Support for Children Who Need it Most," calls on Congress to fix these flaws and restore funding for the TANF Supplemental Grants. The annual supplemental grants provide additional TANF funding for 17 states--including $52.7 million for Texas--that have historically low spending per child in poverty.

Texas Medical Loss Ratio Adjustment Request A Bad Deal for Consumers

Stacey Pogue — 2011-12-07T12:11:35-06:00

The health of our entire state is improved when every one of us has access to quality, affordable health care. A key new consumer protection from the national health reform law will make it easier for Texans to purchase health care plans that provide better value for our money. Insurers are now required to meet minimum standards for how much of each premium dollar is used for health care, and to make rebates to consumers if they miss those standards. A recent request from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) seeks to delay full implementation of this new consumer protection, which will redirect to insurance companies hundreds of millions of dollars in rebates due by law to Texas consumers.

Press Release: Texas Consumers Stand to Lose $260 Million in Health Insurance Rebates Under State Proposal

Stacey Pogue — 2011-11-29T12:53:39-06:00

(AUSTIN, Texas) - On Monday, Federal officials finalized an application from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to delay full implementation of a new rule that requires insurers to increase the value of health insurance or provide rebates to policyholders. If approved, Texans who buy insurance on their own outside of the protection of an employer could lose $350 in forthcoming rebates on average.

Texas Poverty 101

Eva DeLuna Castro,Anne Dunkelberg,Celia Cole — 2007-10-15T22:30:59-06:00

The term poverty is generally used to describe a condition of economic hardship, but it has a technical use as well: to define a specific low-income level for various family sizes. Many social services providers in Texas use this technical measure of poverty to determine eligibility for their programs. This brief report describes the official federal poverty measure, how it is used, and the extent of poverty in Texas. Shortcomings of this methodology and alternative measures of economic hardship are also discussed.

Better Texas Film

2011-11-18T12:26:17-06:00

The Better Texas film. Together we can make our state a better place for all of us. A place of opportunity and prosperity. Because we all do better when we all do better.

National Call-In Day to Urge Congress to Protect SNAP, Child Nutrition Programs in Deficit Reduction Plan

Celia Cole — 2011-11-17T15:09:05-06:00

The U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committees have recommended a $4 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) over the next 10 years as part of the deficit reduction plan being developed in Congress. A cut of this magnitude would harm thousands of low-income Texas families who struggle to put food on the table. It would also harm the food industry, Texas agriculture, food retailers and cost jobs. Our state and local economies receive an enormous boost from SNAP spending, particularly during a recession. Last year, 3.6 million Texans received SNAP assistance, pouring over $5 billion into the economy and generating a total of $9.1 billion in overall economic activity. Low-income Texans should not be asked to bear the burden of budget cuts. Congress has smarter and fairer ways at its disposal to balance the budget and resolve our long-term deficit problem, through a balanced package of selected tax increases and careful spending cuts.

Statement: CPPP Urges Texas Congressional Delegation to Vote Against Extreme Balanced Budget Amendment Coming to the Floor Next Week

Scott McCown — 2011-11-10T18:01:59-06:00

Executive Director F. Scott McCown on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Statement: Census Bureau Releases Supplemental Poverty Measure for U.S.

Frances Deviney — 2011-11-07T15:14:30-06:00

The Census Bureau released new national-level poverty data today. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) is a "work in progress" experimental measure intended to provides a more complete picture of what contributes to poverty by attempting to correct for long-argued limitations of the Official Poverty Measure. The Supplemental Poverty Measure differs from the Official Poverty Measure in many ways, such as including a broader range of expenses necessary to make ends meet (e.g., food, shelter, medical expenses, payroll taxes) and accounting for a broader range of resources such as income from tax credits and federal in-kind benefits (e.g., food stamps and housing subsidies).

Child Protective Services 2011 Legislative Sesssion and Interim

Jane Burstain — 2011-09-28T16:31:46-06:00

The 2011 Legislature lost the momentum of reform efforts from previous legislative sessions due primarily to a brutal budget session. And an anticipated deficit in the 2013 Legislature will affect work in the interim. CPPP has produced a series of policy pages that look back at the 2011 session while looking forward to 2013.

OpportunityTexas: Building a Strong Middle Class

Don Baylor,Laura Rosen — 2011-11-28T15:08:28-06:00

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor and OpportunityTexas Project Coordinator Laura Rosen gave this presentation about OpportunityTexas at the RAISE Texas Summit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas on November 2, 2011.

College Access, Success and the 82nd Texas Legislature

Don Baylor — 2011-11-28T15:19:08-06:00

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor gave this presentation, "College Access, Success and the 82nd Texas Legislature," at the RAISE Texas Summit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas November 2, 2011.

Comments on Affordable Care Act (National Health Reform) Implementation

Stacey Pogue,Anne Dunkelberg — 2011-11-01T13:29:53-06:00

CPPP submitted comments on several proposed federal rules that implement pieces of the Affordable Care Act related to Medicaid, Exchanges, premium tax credit eligibility and enrollment, and uniform summaries of insurance benefits. Taken together, these rules outline a sweeping vision for consumer-friendly tools and processes to help people understand and enroll in affordable coverage through Medicaid, CHIP, and the Exchange.

Building a Strong Middle Class: the Role of College Savings Accounts

Don Baylor — 2011-11-28T15:02:20-06:00

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor gave this presentation, "Building a Strong Middle Class: the Role of College Savings Accounts," on the State Platforms for College Savings Accounts panel at the College Savings Forum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas on November 1, 2011.

Statement on Reducing the Federal Deficit

Scott McCown — 2011-10-06T10:41:50-06:00

Executive Director F. Scott McCown regarding what should be done by the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the "supercommittee"). The Budget Control Act requires the committee to propose by October 14 a way to reduce the federal deficit by $1.2 to $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years.

"For the good of the country, the committee needs to succeed. But success requires a balanced package that combines selected revenue increases with careful spending cuts. A cuts-only approach would devastate low- and moderate-income Americans because it would mean severe cuts in critical areas like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

"Our state would be among those hit hardest by a cuts-only approach because we have so many low-income families. Doing nothing would also be hard on Texas because it would trigger automatic cuts, including to defense. Texas benefits from significant federal spending, including from military bases and defense contracting. Most important, though, is that doing nothing would leave the country with an unsustainable imbalance between revenue and spending."