The final draft of One Voice's 2011 Legislative Priorities is available here: 2011 One Voice Legislative Priorities

House Speaker Joe Straus today issued committee assignments for the 82nd Texas Legislature.  The full list is available here: State of Texas House Committees

Here is the latest testimony from HHSC re: Medicaid cuts: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/news/presentations/2011/hac-hb1-021511.pdf

Click here for an overview of proposed cuts:   http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/news/presentations/2011/Medicaid-Overview-0211.pdf

Chair, Jim Pitts
Vice-Chair, Sylvester Turner

 

 

Members

Warren Chisum
Myra Crownover
Dawnna Dukes
Craig Eiland
Helen Giddings
Scott Hochberg
Ruth Jones McClendon
Geanie Morrison
John Otto
Debbie Riddle
Mike Villarreal
Jimmie Don Aycock
Angie Chen Button
Drew Darby
Lance Gooden
Eric Johnson
Susan King
Dee Margo
Armando Martinez
Doug Miller
Diane Patrick
Charles Schwertner
Mark Shelton
Raul Torres
John Zerwas

Chair, Richard Pena Raymond 
Vice-Chair, Geanie Morrison

 

 

Members

Naomi Gonzalez
Bryan Hughes
Elliot Naishtat
Chuck Hopson
Todd Hunter
Jodie Lauenberg
Van Taylor

The process was approved at the January general membership meeting.  The document is available here: Process for Members to request One Voice Letters of Support

The community based programs that allow Texans the choice to receive their long term care services in the community not in an institution are endanger of being drastically cut. If you don’t Raise your Voice and let the Legislators know how losing your services will affect you and your family, then they will make the CUTS!

 

Here are a few examples of some of the proposed cuts to the Medicaid Waiver programs:

• $342,683,706 CUT from the (CBA) Community Based Alternatives Waiver
• $451,866,354 CUT from the (HCA) Home & Community Services Waiver
• $107,869,131 CUT from the (CLASS) Community Living Assistance Supports & Services Waiver
• $28,078,989 CUT from the Medically Dependent Children’s Programs
• $102,091,552 CUT from the Deaf, Blind, Multiple Disabilities Programs

How can you make your voice heard: You can give public testimony at the Capitol in the Capitol Finance Room E1.036; Tuesday 1st, Wednesday 2nd, & Thursday 3rd starting at 9:00 a.m. Parking is available in the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto located between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets at 12th and 13th streets. Parking is free for the first two hours and $1.00 for each half hour thereafter (maximum daily charge: $8.00); accessible parking is available with accessible routes to the Capitol. (Map of the Capitol area provide at the bottom) A majority of disability advocacy groups plan to concentrate their testimony on Thursday, if you can’t attend make your voice heard through emails, phone calls, or working with others during this important time. (More information below on how to contact your legislator by phone or mail)

 

Tips on giving oral testimony:  The purpose of public hearings is to provide government officials with an opportunity to learn about issues – the benefits, concerns, needs or problems. It is also an opportunity for constituents, citizens and advocates to provide testimony and express opinions. 

Important reasons to attended and testify at public hearings: 

• Educate & influence legislators 
• Educate the public 
• Publicize positions, problems & solutions 

Do: 

• Know the issue and how it affects you and others. 
• Prepare! You usually have only 3 minutes to speak. They will stop you even if you're not done. 
• Begin by identifying yourself, the group you represent, the bill or issue, and if you are for or against. 
• Tell them your story and how you have benefited and that you would much rather receive your services in the community. (Remember you only have 3 minutes) 
• Use personal examples to make your point. 
• Be Respectful! 
• End by thanking the committee or legislators for the opportunity to testify 

If you give oral testimony and you are asked what to cut say (1) before anything is cut, use the $9.4 billion Rainy Day Fund and (2) I understand other issues are important, but I am here to talk about disability issues.

 

If you don’t know which Senator represents you, take a few seconds to find out at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

Call the Senate Finance Committee Members Below:

Sen. Steve Ogden : (512) 463-0105 
Sen. Juan Hinojosa: (512) 463-0120 
Sen. Bob Deuell: (512) 463-0102 
Sen. Robert Duncan: (512) 463-0128 
Sen. Kevin Eltife: (512) 463-0101 
Sen. Craig Estes: (512) 463-0130 
Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr.: (512) 463-0127 
Sen. Jane Nelson: (512) 463-0112 
Sen. Dan Patrick: (512) 463-0107 
Sen. Ken Seliger: (512) 463-0131 
Sen. Florence Shapiro: (512) 463-0108 
Sen. Royce West: (512) 463-0123 
Sen. John Whitmire: (512) 463-0115 
Sen. Tommy Williams: (512) 463-010 
Sen. Judith Zaffirini: (512) 463-0121

 

If you don’t know which Senator represents you, take a few seconds to find out at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

• Introduce yourself in your email and let the legislator know why you are interested or concerned about the issue. Tell the legislator how the bill will affect you, your family, your friends, your job/business. Include specific examples if you can. 
• Put in bold at the top the bill # S.B. 1 and that you are against a cuts only approach to balancing the budget. 
• Let the legislator know if you are a constituent. 

To email all the committee members at once, copy and paste the following email addresses into the "to" line of your message: 

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http://www.legis.state.tx.us/MnuCommittees.aspx

PRESS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2011

 

For More Information
Brian Stephens
512-320-0222, ext. 112
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Melissa Cubria
512-479-7287    
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Texas Groups: Texans Will Lose Big if Health Care Repealed

(AUSTIN, Texas) - As Congress prepares to vote to repeal the federal health reform law this afternoon, Cover Texas Now, a coalition of consumer and faith-based organizations, reminds state lawmakers of  the high cost of repeal and the opportunity we have to make health care more secure for Texans.

 

“Repealing national health reform will be detrimental for consumers,” said coalition member and TexPIRG advocate Melissa Cubria.  “Consumers will face significantly higher insurance premiums and could see costly coverage denials and price discrimination if efforts to repeal the federal health care law prevail in Congress or in the courts.”

 

Added Kevin Moriarty, president and chief executive officer of Methodist Healthcare Ministries,"The state of Texas has the most to gain from the full implementation of healthcare reform; to repeal this law would be a devastating blow to the least served in our community.”

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has signed onto a federal lawsuit urging the roll back of the law, and Washington's intensely partisan debate over health care threatens to spill over to Austin, as the Governor and state legislators consider key implementation decisions.  

If health reform is repealed, Texans would lose the many popular changes already helping them today, including:

• New consumer protections that eliminate pre-existing condition exclusions for kids; stop insurance companies from dropping Texans once they get sick; end lifetime caps on benefits; allow young adults to stay on their parents’ coverage until 26; phase out co-pays and deductibles for preventive care; and strengthen Texans’ rights to choose their doctor, access emergency services, and appeal insurer denials of care.
• Closing the “doughnut hole” in Medicare prescription costs, with a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs this year until the gap is phased out.  Over 160,000 Texas seniors have already gotten help with their medication costs in 2010.
• No out-of-pocket cost for Medicare annual check-ups and other important preventive tests for seniors.
• Assistance to help pay for the high cost of retiree health benefits for the following: retired state employees and teachers, Texas’ major cities, and Texas businesses including American Airlines, HEB, and Shell Oil.
• New requirements that insurance companies spend at least 80 to 85 percent of premium dollars on health care, and that rate increases are justified.

“Over 13 million Texans are covered by private insurance today, but many of these businesses and families struggle to stay covered due to premiums that grow much faster than wages or inflation,” said Stacey Pogue, senior policy analyst with Center for Public Policy Priorities.  “Repeal of the Affordable Care Act would halt reforms that will help get costs under control, make sure no Texan can ever be turned down for insurance, and provide sliding–scale help for families willing to pay their fair share of premiums.”

“Health reform will allow Texas to provide affordable, comprehensive health coverage to 95 percent of Texas children allowing them to grow up healthy, miss fewer days of school and improve academic outcomes and long-term success,” said Laura Guerra-Cardus, associate director for the Children’s Defense Fund of Texas.  “Providing health care through insurance coverage and primary care doctors is far cheaper for Texans and far better for children than relying on costly emergency rooms."

 

With smart implementation of health reform, Texas can gain more federal funds than any other state, bringing $120 billion into Texas and generating over $250 billion in economic activity from 2014 -2019.

 

For Texans to keep the popular provisions of health reform listed above and get the best deal, our federal law must not be repealed and Texas lawmakers must take three critical steps in the 2011 Texas Legislative Session:

• Start building a strong Texas insurance exchange to help families and small businesses get affordable insurance in 2014.
• Make sure the Texas Department of Insurance can enforce popular insurance reforms—like no pre-existing denials for kids, keeping kids on your policy until age 26, and making sure rate hikes are fair.
• Give state agencies and the exchange the authority and tools to build consumer-friendly systems for enrolling in health coverage.

States are in charge of creating new marketplaces for families and small businesses to buy insurance, and how well lawmakers do this will determine how affordable that health coverage is, and how simple the process of shopping for health insurance is. 

TAB 1 2001 Exchange Letter

Texas CHIP Coalition Briefing 1 28 2011