Texas’ Medicaid application backlog has skyrocketed in 2026, state data shows, as federal changes may bring uncertainty to some families trying to access the program.
The program’s application backlog grew from less than 2,000 to more than 210,000 between January and August, according to Texas Health and Human Services Commission data obtained by Texans Care for Children, a policy nonprofit.
The backlog coincides with Medicaid enrollment returning to base levels from a pandemic burst. It’s not yet clear if that decrease shows Texas families are more or less able to afford other forms of health insurance, said Texas A&M professor Laura Dague, who researches Medicaid in Texas.