As the mother of a disabled child, I have seen our health care system here in McLennan County with my own two eyes. On a recent visit to the emergency room at Hillcrest Scott and White Hospital, I saw scores of sick individuals who are forced to use our local emergency rooms for basic health care needs because they have no insurance and our emergency rooms are their only option when they get sick. When Rachel was in the hospital last month, the admitting doctor told me that the Texas Legislature is literally hurting our hospitals by refusing to expand Medicaid.
All three of the McLennan County hospitals, Hillcrest Scott and White, Ascension Providence and Waco Family Health, have all requested our representative in the Texas House of Representatives to vote to expand Medicaid. He has ignored our hospitals’ pleas and voted against expanding Medicaid.
This refusal means that Texas turns down over $8 billion a year that could provide over 1.5 million Texans with health coverage. This money consists of our tax dollars paid by Texans and, because the Texas Legislature refuses to expand Medicaid, our tax dollars are literally being sent to the other states who have wisely voted to expand Medicaid. This is like depositing money into the bank and having your local representative enact laws which keep you from accessing that money and sending your money to folks in other states.
Since federal law requires sick individuals to receive emergency healthcare, the health care costs of the individuals I see in our local emergency rooms receive health care that is paid for by our property tax dollars. We are literally paying twice for indigent health care in McLennan County - once through our federal tax dollars and then again through our local property taxes.
The refusal to expand Medicaid has caused many rural hospitals to close, forcing individuals in need of medical care to come to one of Waco’s three hospitals for their care. Our hospitals are full, and it can take days for individuals, both insured and uninsured Texans, from being admitted due to this overcrowding.
Together, we can end this costly stalemate and build a more equitable healthcare system that works for all Texans. Thank you for standing with me.
We can do this. We must do this. We will do this. Let’s go win this historic election!
Thank you,
Erin Shank
Candidate for the Texas House of Representatives - HD 56
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