Texas House Votes Down Medicaid Expansion After Passionate Debate

For years, leaders of the Texas Legislature have bottled up bills to draw down federal Medicaid expansion funding, typically denying them a committee hearing. But Thursday evening, pro-Medicaid expansion legislators forced a debate and vote on the proposal by offering an amendment to the state budget bill on the House floor.

Texas is one of the only remaining states that has not passed Medicaid expansion. The policy would expand eligibility for Medicaid health insurance to include cashiers, waiters, housecleaners, and other uninsured adults under the poverty line. These Texans typically do not have access to Medicaid unless they are pregnant or less than a year postpartum, have a disability, or live in a nursing home. The federal government pays 90 percent of the cost of Medicaid expansion.

Unfortunately, the Medicaid expansion proposal by Rep. John Bucy fell on a vote of 63-85, closely mirroring votes on similar amendments in past legislative sessions. The vote largely followed party lines. Two Republicans — Reps. Janie Lopez and Ryan Guillen — joined with the Democrats in voting for the amendment. The Texas Legislature Online posted the following tally after the vote:

While the amendment fell short — and Texans will continue to suffer from the lack of health coverage — legislators used the opportunity to make a rousing case for Medicaid expansion.

Watch Rep. Bucy’s passionate introduction of his amendment:

Rep. Gene Wu made the fiscal case for Medicaid expansion, pointing out that Texans’ tax dollars are going to support Medicaid expansion in other states. Passing Medicaid expansion would bring the dollars back to Texas.

Watch here:

During the debate, Rep. Suleman Lalani drew on his experience as a physician to highlight patients going without medications and other critical health care.

Watch:

Other legislators — including Reps. Rafael Anchia, Toni Rose, Jolanda Jones, Chris Turner, and Eddie Morales — spoke in favor of Medicaid expansion during the debate.

Reps. James Frank, Briscoe Cain, and Nate Schatzline all spoke against the bill.

While we’re deeply disappointed with the outcome of the debate, we are very grateful to Rep. Bucy and all the lawmakers who supported Medicaid expansion. Let’s keep up the fight to improve access to health care in Texas!