Lots going on here, including federalism.
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All 13 Democrats who represent Texas in Congress are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to reverse a yearslong effort to boot Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program, saying it jeopardizes thousands of low-income Texans’ ability to access nonabortion health services.
“Governor Abbott, your decisions to restrict access to health care providers while our health care system continues to be overloaded with COVID-19 patients is negligent and will cost even more lives,” they wrote in the Feb. 5 letter. “We urge you to stop playing politics with Texans’ health care.”
Planned Parenthood says it plays a large role in serving low-income patients, and that there's a shortage of Medicaid providers in part due to low reimbursement rates. The lawmakers’ letter dismissed the idea that other doctors could quickly absorb the roughly 8,000 Medicaid recipients recently seen at Planned Parenthood clinics in Texas, citing a government report that found many states did not have enough providers before the pandemic.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar said in an interview that the El Paso region she represents suffers from a lack of providers and health insurance, and that she’s heard from other safety net health providers that they’re “struggling,” and redirecting resources and staff to provide COVID-19 vaccines.
The state’s Medicaid program has among the lowest income requirements nationwide, excluding nearly all Texas adults except those who are pregnant, have a disability or are parents living below the poverty line. Black and Latino residents, who have been disproportionately killed by the virus, are more likely to rely on the program.
