Update: Texas Medicaid and CHIP

1

Update: Texas Medicaid and

CHIP Texas Health Care Access Conference

Texas Association of Community Health Centers/Covering Kids and Families/Texas CHIP Coalition

February 28, 2006

Anne Dunkelberg, Assistant Director ([email protected])

900 Lydia Street - Austin, Texas 78702Phone (512) 320-0222 – fax (512) 320-0227 - www.cppp.org

2

Medicaid in Texas: Who it HelpsMedicaid: As of December 2005, 2.7 million Texans were enrolled in Medicaid:•1.8 million were children

– about 89,700 of these children, or 5%, were receiving disability-related Medicaid (98% of these on SSI)

– about 12,500 were pregnant teens (0.7% of the kids; 0.5% of all Medicaid)– 141,700 in TANF cash assistance families (5.2% of total caseload)– OTHER 1.6 MILLION predominantly in WORKING POOR FAMILIES

• (about 1.3 million worker-headed families, • Other 20% are headed by disabled parents or living on child support from non-custodial

parent)•898,500 were adults:

– 691,000 (77% of the adults) were elderly or disabled. Adults on SSI account for 60% of the aged and disabled recipients

– Other adults: 91,500 maternity coverage; 31,000 TANF parents (1.1% of total caseload); – NOTE: there are fewer than 95,000 poor parents on Texas Medicaid- see next slide. 63,000

either TMA (Transitional Medicaid Assistance) or parents who are at or below TANF income, but not receiving TANF cash assistance

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP):�as of September 1, 2003 — 507,259 children �as of December 1, 2005 — 322,898 (drop of 184,361, or 36%)

3

Why Very Few Poor Parents are Enrolled in Texas Medicaid

• Texas Medicaid income cap for poor parents has not been increased by our Legislature for 20 years.

• Working poor parents in Texas can get Medicaid now ONLY if they earn less than the legislatively-imposed income cap of $188 per month for a family of 3 ($308 if one parent is working).

• This fixed dollar amount cap, does not increase from year to year with inflation. In 2006 this income cap denies Medicaid to parents with incomes above 13.6% of the federal poverty income.

• Forces poor parents with high medical needs to choose between work and health care; 15 hours of work per week at minimum wage ($5.15 per hour) makes them “too well off” to get Medicaid.

• Texas can increase the Medicaid income limit for parents to any level it chooses, without any special federal approval. The only limiting factor is our willingness to put up our state’s share (about 40%) of the costs.

• Today, fewer than 95,000 poor Texas parents get Medicaid, though– there are about 836,000 poor parents in the state – 61% of adult Texans 18-64 below poverty are uninsured– 1.8 million Texas children have Medicaid coverage

4

Medicaid Cuts: What was Reversed by 2005 Legislature

• Adults’ Medicaid Services Restored (eff. 10/05): – Podiatrists – Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids

• Mental health services (eff. 12/05) by social workers, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, and licensed marriage and family therapists. There was complication with the funding for this benefit, but it appears services by all 4 mental health provider types were restored December 1, 2005.

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/medicaid/cs/Medicaid_BenefitsUpdate.html

Center for Public Policy Prioritieswww.cppp.org

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/medicaid/cs/Medicaid_BenefitsUpdate.html

5

Medicaid Cuts: What was Reversedby 2005 Legislature

Soon to be restored: • The Personal Needs Allowance of Medicaid

nursing home residents (the monthly amount that Medicaid nursing home residents may keep from SSI, Social Security or other pension income; the rest goes to the nursing home) – was cut in 2003 from $60 to $45. – Not restored by the budget or other 2005 bill, but Gov.

Perry and Senator Zaffirini pledged to ask LBB for “budget execution” to allocate the $13 million in state dollars needed to restore this.

• Lt. Gov. and Speaker directed HHSC 2/16/06 to restore– how soon?


6

Medicaid Cuts: What was Reversed by 2005 Legislature

Not REALLY restored: • Medically Needy Spend-Down Program for Parents (Temporary

Coverage for Poor Families with Catastrophic Medical Bills)– SB1 authorizes just $35 million for “partial restoration” (full

restoration would cost $175 million GR for 2006-2007); – AND assumes these funds DONATED by big urban hospital districts

(from local tax dollars, or “IGT”)– Urban counties unlikely to do this

• No action so far to restore, and no indications it is likely to happen. STAY TUNED!


7

• Medicaid and CHIP provider rate cuts: – Most Medicaid and CHIP providers had rates cut in 2003: hospitals and doctors

had a rate cut of 2.5%; nursing homes 1.75%, and community care providers 1.1%.

– In August 2004, HHSC proposed and LBB approved keeping most of the cuts at the same level for 2005 (i.e., not making deeper cuts); but hospitals took a deeper 5% cut.

– 2005 legislature restored rates to 2003 levels for Community Care services and Waivers, and for ICF-MR (all at DADS), but not for doctors, other professionals, hospitals, or CHIP. Lt. Gov. & Speaker directed HHSC 2/16/06 to restore/increase nursing home rates (when?).

– All other rate cuts remain. Rate cuts were the largest HHS cut made in 2003; even larger than the CHIP cuts.

– TMA surveys of Texas doctors show that the percentage of doctors taking new Medicaid patients dropped from 75% in 1996 to 45% on 2004.

Medicaid Cuts that Remain


8

Community Care and Waiting Lists:funding for enrollment increases

• 2003 Legislature reduced numbers and/or levels of services in capped Community Care and Health programs

• 2006-2007 budget provides funds to increase a number of non-entitlement programs’ enrollment

• For children: – MDCP increased from 977 in ’03, 983 in ’05, to 1,993 in 2007.– CSHCN increased from 1,463 in ’03, 2,114 in ’05, to 2,293 in ’07

• Most Medicaid waivers, HIV Meds increased• Exceptions:

– CBA: was 30,279 in ’03; 26,100 in ’05; to 28,401 in ’07, – Kidney Health Program 22,834 in ’03; 21,247 in ’05; to 20,415 in

’07– In-Home and Family Support for aged & disabled, MR still below

’03 levels (MH IHFS program eliminated in ’03 and not restored)

9

Medicaid Caseloads: Actual and ProjectedActual Medicaid enrollment, December 2005(Final “recipient months” enrollment averages 109% of point-in-time)

2,707,681(final will be about 2.95

million)

2006 2007

What HHSC estimated in 2/05 when budget process began

3,124,110 3,356,597

What the LBB assumed when the budget bill was introduced (lower caseload AND cost per client)

REDUCES BUDGET $930 MILLION GR

2,987,578 3,137,045

Medicaid Buy-In (New Clients) 2,273 2,273

Waiting List (New Clients) 1,078 3,196

CHIP Perinatal Subtractions (i.e., moved to CHIP) (14,386) (39,214)

Medically Needy 10,118 10,918

Final Budget for 2006-2007 2,986,661 3,114,218

Difference, HHSC projected and budgeted in SB 1 -137,449 -242,379


10

WHY is she Telling Us This??

• HHSC projected in 11/05 Medicaid expenditures v. appropriations shortfall of $559.4 million GR for 2006-2007

• Lion’s share is due to assumed expenditure of $444.2 million GR projected for Texas’ Medicare Part D claw-back payment. (Gov. Perry line-item vetoed this funding).

• Conservative (low) assumptions of caseload and cost-per-person in budget create strong likelihood that there will be a Medicaid “shortfall” in 2007.

11

CHIP Cuts, 2004-05 BudgetSummary of 2003 CHIP changes:*• Benefits eliminated: dental; vision (eyeglasses and exams); hospice;

skilled nursing facilities; tobacco cessation; chiropractic services. Mental health coverage was reduced to about half of the coverage provided in 2003

• Premiums and co-payments increased

• Coverage period reduced from 12 months to six

• New coverage delayed for 90 days

• Income deductions eliminated (gross income determines eligibility)

• Asset test (limit) added for those above 150% of the poverty Line (took effect August 2004)

• Outreach and marketing reduced

*Underlined Items Restored by 2005 Legislature

12

How CHIP Fared in 2005 Session• Restored: Dental, vision, hospice and mental health benefits

restored to 2003 levels. Dental delayed; HHSC says will begin April 2006.

• Funding to replace monthly premiums with more affordable and convenient enrollment fees. Applied beginning 1/06:– No enrollment fee below 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL)

(<$2,217/ family of 4 for 2006*)– $25 per family (per 6-month period) from 133-150% FPL ($2,217-

$2,500/family of 4);– $35 per family (per 6-month period) from 151%-185% FPL ($2,500-

$3,084/family of 4); and – $50 per family (per 6-month period) from 186%-200% FPL ($3,084-

$3,334/family of 4)*HHSC will use 2006 FPL figures staring 4/1/06

13

How CHIP Fared in 2005 SessionNo CHIP restoration bill ever had a public hearing, not even Senator Averitt’s SB 59. Restorations made were all done via

the budget.

• These 2003 Changes Remain:– Coverage period reduced from 12 months to six. Language in

law now makes this permanent, rather than planning for a return to 12 month coverage at a future date.

– New coverage delayed for 90 days. (New perinatal coverage could eliminate this for many newborns.)

– Income deductions eliminated (gross income determines eligibility).

– Asset test (limit) added for those above 150% of the poverty line (took effect August 2004).

– Outreach and marketing were reduced in 04-05, important to monitor and push for strong investment in both in 06-07.

14

Texas Child Medicaid and CHIP Combined Enrollment (January 2002-December 2005)

2,149,352

2,132,062

1,600,000

1,700,000

1,800,000

1,900,000

2,000,000

2,100,000

2,200,000

Jan-02

Apr-02

Jul-02

Oct-02

Jan-03

Apr-03

Jul-03

Oct-03

Jan-04

Apr-04

Jul-04

Oct-05

Jan-05

April-05

July-05

Oct-05

Source: All figures from Texas Health and Human Services Commission;Compares most recent month with September 2003


15

CHIP Caseloads: Now and Projected2006 2007

September 2003 actual caseload

507,259

December 2005 actual caseload

322,898

decline, 9/03 to 12/05 (36%)

(-184,361

)HHSC 2/05 enrollment projection, if 12-month eligibility restored

386,110 467,404

HHSC 2/05 enrollment projection (6 month renewal)

360,786 388,920

SB 1 funded caseload, traditional CHIP (6 month renewal)

344,750 351,132

Additional caseload, perinatal coverage

17,425 47,498

Total, SB 1 projected CHIP caseload, traditional & perinatal CHIP

362,175 398,630

Rider 57 HHSC (SB 1) requires agency to request more $$ for CHIP from LBB if needed for enrollment and benefits.

16

New CHIP Perinatal Coverage Planned• Last-minute addition to the budget bill authorized this (Rider 70 HHSC). No bill, hearings, or

public discussion, but HHSC had done significant lead work behind the scenes.• HHSC plans start-up 9/2006. • The benefit and eligibility belong to the “perinate”, not the mother. • Will provide prenatal care and delivery to U.S citizen women 186-200% FPL (not quite low

enough to qualify for Medicaid).

• ALSO will pick up mothers 0-200% FPL who do not qualify for Medicaid maternity coverage because they are either a legal immigrant or an undocumented resident. – This means that many of the covered perinates would already have been eligible for

Medicaid at birth, i.e. all those with incomes below 185% FPL.– over 39,000 will be infants who would have been enrolled in Medicaid at birth under current

rules, and – about 8,300 are perinates whose prenatal care would not have been covered without this

option (but would have qualified for CHIP after birth).• MORE DETAILS LATER TODAY!


17

Women’s Health and Family Planning Medicaid Waiver

• SB 747 by Senator John Carona• Texas Medicaid will provide basic medical check-ups and birth

control services to adult Texas women (ages 18 and older) up to 185% of the poverty line (that’s $2,559 per month pre-tax income for a family of 3 in 2005).

• Currently in Texas, working mothers must live at or below 23% of the FPL to qualify for Medicaid (22% of poverty is less than $308 per month for a family of 3) and childless women can’t qualify at all – so the waiver could help many thousands of women who can’t get full Medicaid benefits.– Texas has the highest % of uninsured women aged 18 to 64 (28.3%) in

the nation (the U.S. average is 17.7%) – About 40% of all Texas women live below 200% of poverty, and 50% of

them are uninsured. • HHSC still negotiating details with CMS, tentative September 2006

start-up .• MORE DETAILS THIS AFTERNOON!

18

Medicaid Buy-in Program for Working Disabled: “MBI”

• SB 566 by Deuell• Directs HHSC to develop/start program to allow working

individuals who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but less than 250% FPL ($23,925/year for a single person) to pay premiums to get Medicaid coverage.

• Premiums amounts will depend on income level, and have 2 parts: – one is based on “unearned” income (like disability benefits) and – the other part on earned income (like wages from a job)

• Latest HHSC information gives September 2006 as earliest start-up. Projected to serve about 2,300 in 2007.

19

Universal Services Card & Medicaid Biometric Finger

Imaging • Universal Services card authorized: (SB 46, by Nelson)

– HHSC can develop a single “smart card” for use both as an ID for benefits like Medicaid, Food Stamps, and TANF, as well as an “EBT” card (like the Lone Star card)

– CAN include finger imaging– MUST protect client privacy– No time line announced by HHSC

• Statewide Expansion of Medicaid Finger Imaging authorized: (SB 563 by Janek)– HHSC can proceed to mandatory statewide use of finger image cards– Would be done in stages, and HHSC must adopt a plan for how to deal

with lost and forgotten cards, who to exempt, and how to deal with “no match” situations BEFORE expanding

– Project must be found cost-effective, but not clear how this will be evaluated.

• HHSC plans to test mandatory finger imaging in Travis, Cameron, Hidalgo in April 2006.

20

Medicaid Managed Care Statewide Expansion (PCCM, STAR+Plus, “ICM”)

• Since 1993, Texas Medicaid has enrolled growing numbers of clients in managed care programs.

• Larger cities use Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), while more rural areas use Primary Care Case Management (PCCM), a non-HMO managed care system that assigns every person to a primary care doctor.

• 2003 and 2005 Legislatures expanded Medicaid Managed Care.

• All of Texas’ rural counties and many smaller cities now use PCCM (expanded to 197 additional Texas counties on September 1, 2005), and

• Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Houston, and San Antonio offer HMO-based care. HMO care will begin in Corpus Christi/Nueces County later in 2006.

21

Medicaid Managed Care Statewide Expansion (PCCM, STAR+Plus, “ICM”)• These urban areas that now have HMO-based Medicaid

Managed Care will begin to also manage long term and community care services for their aged or disabled clients (through the “STARPLUS” and “Integrated Care Management” or ICM models). 2007 is earliest this is roll out.

• The STAR+PLUS managed long term care HMO model currently serves aged and disabled Medicaid clients in the Houston area.

• A new enhanced PCCM-type “Integrated Care Management” (ICM) model will be implemented in the Dallas-Tarrant service area

• Savings are guaranteed by allowing HHSC to cut provider rates if the new model does not produce the required savings. There are specific targets for each service area; e.g., $23.1 million for Bexar in 2006-2007.

22

Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment

• HHSC contract with Accenture (“Texas Access Alliance” or TAA), to take over operation of the state's eligibility and enrollment systems for Medicaid, CHIP, Food Stamps, and TANF cash assistance.

• TAA has begun processing CHIP and children’s Medicaid applications, all programs in 4 Travis and Hays offices, and is scheduled to roll out Call Center and internet operations in phases over the next year.

• Stay Tuned for More at the 10:15 session!

http://www.hhs.state.tx.us/consolidation/IE/IE.shtml




23

Katrina and Health Care• Texas’ waiver allows simplified Medicaid or CHIP eligibility for

Katrina evacuees. • Covers, for a one-time period of 5 months, evacuees who meet

Texas’ current Medicaid or CHIP categories and income limits; plus parents (with dependent children) who have incomes as high as the federal poverty line.

• After 5 months, these folks can apply for regular Texas Medicaid (but most working parents will not qualify). HHSC projects about 135,000 new Medicaid clients in FY 2006 may result.

• Childless adults’ care thru 1/31/06 was funded from an uncompensated care pool , so some of these folks got less than 5 months of help.

24

Ways to Be Informed and Involved• Go to www.texaschip.org to get on Texas CHIP

Coalition listserve (be sure to read the minutes!)• Go to www.cppp.org and subscribe to CPPP’s e-mail

publication, the Policy Page.

• for National information about Congress, the President, Medicaid and CHIP: www.familiesusa.org

• for more technical and detailed information about Congress, the President, Medicaid & CHIP, and the federal budget & taxes: www.cbpp.org

http://www.texaschip.org/

http://www.cppp.org/

Documents

Update: Texas Medicaid and CHIP