Texas kids are quickly losing their Medicaid health insurance in 2023, an alarming sign to advocates for children’s health in the state.
A report released Wednesday highlighted major progress in the state’s insurance rate for children last year. Last year, the number of uninsured Texas kids dropped by 14% compared to before the pandemic, according to the report, published by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.
But last year’s progress was short lived. At least 728,000 kids in Texas have been removed from Medicaid as of Oct. 8 as part of the Medicaid unwinding process, more than in any other state in the U.S. Many of those children have likely not gotten health insurance elsewhere, experts said.
“Where a child lives makes a huge difference,” said Joan Alker, the center’s executive director and co-founder. “The unwinding process is once again laying bare how much of a priority child health is to governors and state legislators. Nowhere is this more true than in Texas.”