District Amos Commission targets
children’s health insurance cuts

The Austin District Amos Commission is focusing on Texas public policy issues relating to children, especially the restoration of 2003 cuts to the Children’s Health Insurance Program made by the 78th Legislature. The Commission works closely with Texas Impact and Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas.
The 79th Texas Legislature did not fully restore CHIP, but it did restore some cuts and take other positive actions to prevent the program from eroding further. Dental, vision, hospice and mental health benefits were fully restored.
Lawmakers appropriated more dollars for CHIP for 2006-2007 than they appropriated for 2004-2005, but the increase in spending is not nearly enough to bring CHIP enrollment back to the level it reached before the 2003 cuts went into effect. The increased spending mostly will cover restored benefits and health insurance premium growth. 
CHIP is a federal-state partnership that provides health insurance to children in moderate-income families. CHIP has been popular in Texas because it is a cost-effective, market-based approach; it meets a critical need; and it draws key federal matching funds to Texas’ health care system.
Texans across the state called on lawmakers to restore the cuts to CHIP. Faith communities were especially active in calling for restoration. Beginning with the United Methodist Women of Texas, religious groups and individuals sent more than 30,000 postcards to the governor and legislative leaders urging CHIP restoration, and more than 40 state-level religious leaders signed a joint statement calling for full restoration of all the cuts.
The District Amos Commission is developing a listserve and a speaker’s bureau to communicate with individuals and churches about starting Amos Commissions in local congregations.
Contact Martha Rogers at (512) 345-3969 or rogers33@swbell.net for further information.