Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced the Expand Medicaid Now Act, legislation to encourage states to expand Medicaid.  Fletcher’s bill provides additional federal funding to any new expansion state by increasing the base Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP), the rate at which the federal government pays for its share of a state’s Medicaid expenditures, by five percentage points for two years.  The current FMAP for Texas is 61.81%.  Under this legislation, if Texas were to expand Medicaid the federal share of Medicaid to the state would increase to 66.81% for two years.

“Texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the country.  It is vitally important for Texas to expand Medicaid now and ensure that families have access to affordable, quality health care as we continue to confront the coronavirus pandemic,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “I am glad to introduce this bill to increase the amount of federal funding for Medicaid expansion in an effort to encourage those states that have not expended their programs to do so.” 

One recent study found that Texas could have seen a 24.6 percent drop in uninsurance if it had expanded its Medicaid program last year.  Congresswoman Fletcher, a member of the Health Subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee, has advocated for Texas to expand Medicaid throughout her time in Congress.