State Rep. Julie Johnson
When state Rep. Julie Johnson filed HB3871, she hoped it would get bipartisan support. Also known as the Live Well Texas bill, it will expand Medicaid coverage with substantial help from the federal government.
This week, Johnson announced that 76 members, including nine Republicans, have added their signatures to the bill assuring passage if it gets to the House floor. Before that can happen, it needs to get a committee hearing and voted out of committee. The bill is sitting in the House Committee on Human Services and waiting to be heard.
On Monday, 188 groups, including the Texas Medical Association and several large Chambers of Commerce, released a letter urging state leaders to increase access to health coverage in Texas.
“Texas has waited long enough for a solution to our healthcare needs,” Johnson said in a press release. “HB 3871 is a bipartisan effort and a fiscally responsible investment that will cover approximately 1.5 million adults.”
A companion bill, SB 117, was filed in the Senate by Dallas Senator Nathan Johnson and is also awaiting a committee hearing.
— David Taffet
