In the News

Expansions are coming to the Medicare program, if Democrats can achieve one of their biggest health policy goals this year.

WASHINGTON — Texas Democrats in Congress are irate that Gov. Greg Abbott can divert federal funds intended for COVID-19 relief to build a border wall. On Monday, they asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to step in and block the state from using any of its $15.8 billion windfall for this “costly monstrosity.”

New legislation from U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, would allow cities, counties and other local jurisdictions to expand Medicaid coverage to more low-income individuals in states that have resisted expanding the program.

Local governments would be able to bypass conservative state leaders and implement their own Medicaid expansion programs for working poor Texans with federal funds under federal legislation announced Monday by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin.

SAN ANTONIO - You could soon be one of millions of Texans covered by health insurance.

Texas healthcare leaders, including U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggett, are trying to pass the act which would local leaders to expand Medicaid.

A record number of Americans are relying on for healthcare coverage during the pandemic. Nearly 74 million people are currently enrolled on Medicaid, the highest number participating in the program on record, according to a report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). During the pandemic, from February 2020 to January 2021, an additional 9.7 million individuals enrolled in Medicaid, increasing the size of the program by nearly 14 percent.

Congressional Democrats are pushing legislation that would expand Medicaid in states that have so far refused to do so, seeking to fill one of the major remaining holes in the Affordable Care Act.