Sen. Cruz, Texas Delegation Send Bicameral Letter to HHS Secretary Becerra Expressing Concern Over the Rescinding of Texas’ Medicaid 1115 Waiver Extension

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today joined Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R-Texas) and 20 other members on a bicameral letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra expressing their concern and disappointment by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) action taken to rescind the 10-year extension of the Texas' Medicaid 1115 Waiver.

Co-signers of their letter include U.S. Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Kay Granger (R-Texas), Van Taylor (R-Texas), Roger Williams (R-Texas), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), and John Carter (R-Texas).

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote:

"This unprecedented action by CMS jeopardizes billions of dollars in funding for Texas' Medicaid program. Rescinding this waiver extension threatens the security of the State's Medicaid program, disrespects the continuity of this agreement, and erodes the partnership between the State and CMS. Additionally, this action deters future State innovation in the Medicaid program and will negatively impact the level of trust between States and the agency.

"More than four million Texans, including half of all children in the State, depend on the stability of the State's Medicaid program for quality health care for themselves and their families. Revoking the extension of Texas' 1115 Waiver pulls the rug out from beneath these patients and puts their health care at risk. Hospitals and providers in the State have been pushed to the brink and stretched thinner than ever before during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 10-year extension of the 1115 Waiver granted in January 2021 established much needed certainty for years to come so that the State would not have to navigate complex negotiations to change its Medicaid financing mechanisms, especially after the strain the system faced during the COVID-19 pandemic."

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"The time and effort required to renegotiate a new waiver extension will detract from the work that Texas and your agency could be conducting to improve health care for Texans and for Americans. We respectfully request that CMS reconsider the egregious and unprecedented action it has taken to rescind this 1115 Waiver extension. We urge you to work closely with Texas going forward."

Read their full letter here.

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