Survey: Majority of Texans Support Medicaid Expansion

New Survey Shows Broad Support for Medicaid Expansion; Texas Hospitals Emphasize Benefits for Taxpayers, Job Creation, Access to Quality Health Care
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Lance Lunsford Texas Hospital Association 512/465-1052 Email: llunsford@tha.org Twitter: @lancelunsford (Austin Feb. 28, 2013) A voter survey conducted by the Texas Hospital Association adds to the growing chorus of statewide support for Texas to expand its Medicaid program. According to the poll, 54 percent of voters said the State of Texas should participate in the expansion of Medicaid. After learning more about Medicaid expansion, 59 percent responded favorably. Texans understand that Medicaid expansion is a wise investment because it increases access to health care and reduces costs to the local taxpayers who shoulder the burden when the state and federal governments cut funding to public hospitals as they have done in recent years, said Dan Stultz, M.D., FACHE, FACP, THA president and chief executive officer. The statewide survey of Texas voters was conducted Feb. 4-7, 2013 by Baselice & Associates, Inc. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percent. Hospitals are required by law to provide health care regardless of a patients ability to pay, and in 2011 alone, Texas hospitals provided $5.4 billion in uncompensated care and charity care. Unreimbursed Medicare costs totaling $9 billion further strained the states hospitals. Stultz added, Patients who cant pay for their own health care services cause higher insurance premiums and higher taxes. Thats why it makes sense to provide health coverage to more Texans, especially because Texas has the highest rate of uninsured in the United States. According to the poll, 74 percent responded favorably to Medicaid expansions

impact on increasing access to primary care and getting employees without health insurance back to work quickly. Voters also responded overwhelmingly (60 percent) in favor of Medicaid expansion after learning it would be fully funded for the first three years by the federal government with an option for Texas to drop out of the program if the federal government exerted too much control on the funds. Last fall, a study by the economics firm, The Perryman Group, concluded that the expansion of Medicaid would lead to substantial economic activity; an increase in federal funds flowing into Texas; a reduction in costs for uncompensated care and insurance; and, enhanced productivity from a healthier population. According to the Perryman study, Medicaid would pay for itself by generating $256 billion in economic activity over 10 years and create about 300,000 jobs. The Perryman study findings are consistent with a more recent analysis from former deputy comptroller Billy Hamilton, a tax policy consultant. Hamilton determined the expansion of Medicaid would generate more than 260,000 health care jobs by 2016 in just two years after program expansion while relieving city, county and hospital district tax burdens borne by local taxpayers. Stultz said THAs voter survey findings demonstrate voters understanding of the issues and add credence to recent third-party studies of Texas Medicaids costs and the positive benefits associated with expansion of the program. Voters, as well as an increasing block of bipartisan lawmakers and a growing number of non-partisan organizations, understand the importance of a smart investment of state tax dollars in a local communitys health care infrastructure, Stultz said. By expanding Medicaid, we can improve access to primary health care and create good-paying jobs along the way. In Texas, the average persons insurance premium is $1,800 higher per year due to costs associated with uncompensated care, according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund. By increasing the number of Texans covered by Medicaid, we can help keep insurance premium costs from increasing any faster, Stultz said. Under the new federal health care law, 1.7 million people in Texas who are uninsured could get health care coverage through Medicaid if the state acts to expand the program in 2014. While the state would be required to provide matching general revenue dollars after the first three years, Texas required share never increases above 10 percent.

Expanding coverage is the responsible move, Stultz concluded. Texas should use the leverage it currently has with the federal government to ask for the flexibility to use these additional funds to create a Medicaid program that works for Texas based on personal responsibility, tailored benefit design and provider payment reforms that promote quality and cost-effective health care. -30About the THA Founded in 1930, the Texas Hospital Association is the leadership organization and principal advocate for the states hospitals and health care systems. Based in Austin, THA enhances its members abilities to improve accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Texans. One of the largest hospital associations in the country, THA represents more than 85 percent of the states acute-care hospitals and health care systems, which employ some 369,000 health care professionals statewide. Learn more about THA at www.tha.org or follow THA on Twitter @texashospitals. About the Survey The survey was conducted via landline and cellular telephone among N=502 registered voters as well as among N=504 Republican primary voters. The margin of error to results of each segment is +/- 4.4%. Responses to this survey were gathered February 4-7, 2013.