Democratic Lt. Gov. Candidate Vikki Goodwin Proposes Government-Funded, Statewide Healthcare Program - thetexan.news

State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, the Democratic candidate for Texas lieutenant governor, announced a proposal this week for a government-funded statewide health insurance program she calls the Texas Cares Plan.

Goodwin, who represents an Austin district, described the plan in a press release as a "self-sustaining state administered health insurance program" covering vision, dental, emergency, preventative, maternity, and mental healthcare for all Texans regardless of pre-existing conditions. The proposal is structured around three tiers: Medicaid expansion for low-income Texans who qualify, a level called Lone Star Basic, and a higher tier called Lone Star Preferred.

The federal government would cover 90 percent of the Medicaid expansion costs under the plan, with Texas picking up the remainder. Texas is one of the states that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving a coverage gap that affects hundreds of thousands of low-income residents, including many here in Lubbock where uninsured rates run higher than in most Texas metros.

For folks in Lubbock, a proposal like this could touch a lot of people. West Texas has long dealt with limited healthcare access, and the mental health and maternity coverage components would be particularly relevant in a region that has struggled to retain specialists.

Texas has gone longer without Medicaid expansion than nearly any other large state in the country.