Texas ultimately opted to not do so. Opposition was driven by top statewide elected officials and Republican Party. Local government however were much more supportive of the expansion, as were health care providers.
- Here's a Texas Tribune story from January 26, 2013 which claimed the state would benefit from the expansion:
Expanding Medicaid is a "smart, affordable and fair" decision for Texas, according to a report issued by Billy Hamilton, a nonpartisan consultant commissioned by Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas and Texas Impact, a statewide interfaith network.
“If politics are set aside, the right decision is obvious,” wrote Hamilton, a former deputy comptroller of public accounts who was once the state’s chief revenue estimator. He argued that for an investment of $15 billion, Texas could draw down $100 billion in federal funds and expand health care coverage to 2 million low-income Texans over 10 years.
. . . In contrast to arguments that the Medicaid expansion would cost Texas too much money, Hamilton finds state spending on the Medicaid expansion could be met “many times over” with existing funds that the state, local jurisdictions and hospitals already spend on unreimbursed charity care for low-income adults. An estimated $1.8 billion in new state revenue generated by the expansion could offset the state’s match for the Medicaid expansion from 2014 to 2017, Hamilton says, adding that an estimated 231,000 jobs, $2.5 billion in local revenue and $67.9 billion in total economic output could be generated by 2016.
Here are a few other random stories related to the proposed expansion:
- Texas Hospital Association argues in favor of expansion.
- Texas Public Policy Foundation argues against it.
- The Legislative Reference Library lists the bills filed in the 83rd session concerning expansion.
- Texas Matters: The Cost of Not Expanding Medicaid.
- Texas Legislature Passes Measure To Prevent Medicaid Expansion.
