AUSTIN, Texas — On Monday, Texas health care leaders including U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), the chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, unveiled the COVER Now Act, which aims to close the gap in Medicaid coverage.
According to a press release from Doggett's office, the bill would allow local leaders from across the nation to help vulnerable citizens in states such as Texas that have declined to accept federal resources for Medicaid expansion.
"Nearly 6 million Americans – including over 2 million Texans – primarily from communities of color, remain uninsured due to Republican ideological entrenchment and indifference," the release states. "The COVER Now Act takes bold action with a new, homegrown approach to protect the right to care: It enables willing local leaders to accept directly federal resources to achieve both the public health and financial benefits of Medicaid expansion."
A group of leaders gathered at the Central Health Southeast Health and Wellness Center in Austin on Monday to make the announcement, including:
- Jaeson Fournier, CommUnityCare, and Mike Geeslin, Central Health
- State Representative Donna Howard
- State Senator Nathan Johnson
- Travis County Judge Andy Brown
- Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gomez
- Rev. B.W. McClendon, St. James Missionary Baptist Church
- Anne Dunkelberg, Every Texan
- Stephanie Rubin, Texans Care for Children
- Cindy Ji, Texas Children’s Defense Fund
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