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Rep.Bucy, John III
REP. JOHN BUCY III STATEMENT ON OKLAHOMA PASSING MEDICAID EXPANSION
by: Rep. Bucy, John III
07/06/2020Ballot initiative's success highlights Texas' own failure on healthcare access, need for immediate action
AUSTIN— Last week, Oklahomans went to the polls and voted in favor of State Question 802, a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid. State Rep. John Bucy III (Austin) issued the following statement in response:
"I want to congratulate the people of Oklahoma for giving nearly 200,000 people access to healthcare and bringing over $1 billion of federal funds into their state by becoming the thirty seventh state to expand Medicaid.
"Texas must be next! With over 5 million Texans already uninsured before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and an additional 1.6 million Texans having lost their health insurance since March 2020, we cannot delay any longer in expanding Medicaid. We must act to save lives, help 1.5 million Texans access needed care, and bring in $110 billion to our state over a decade. Failing to pass Medicaid expansion also has a large economic impact. Texas taxpayers would save $4.3 billion on uncompensated care, some 303,000 jobs would be created annually, and $525 million in new tax revenue would be generated.
"Medicaid expansion is something we can do right now to transform the lives of our fellow Texans and their families. What’s more, nearly two-thirds of Texas voters agree. It's time to stop playing politics with people’s lives and bring our tax dollars back home to Texas to help our neighbors get the care they need and help shore up our budget in a time of economic crisis.
"I call on Gov. Greg Abbott to immediately expand Medicaid. If the governor doesn't want to act on his authority, he should convene a special session and empower legislators to get to work. Texans can't wait!" 

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