Sen. Cornyn Commissioner Hawkins Make New Push for SCHIP Medicaid Enrollment

AUSTIN—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins today met to discuss positive First Quarter enrollment trends in Texas’ SCHIP and Medicaid programs. They also highlighted new efforts to enroll greater numbers of Texas low-income children in SCHIP and Medicaid so they can begin receiving essential health care services.

Following a roundtable discussion Sen. Cornyn joined the Commissioner for a tour of the HHSC’s primary call center in Austin where enrollment counselors assist Texas parents with their children’s SCHIP and Medicaid applications. 

Commissioner Hawkins informed Sen. Cornyn that since the adoption of House Bill 109 in September and various other program improvements including new outreach efforts First Quarter enrollment figures indicate a significant increase in enrollment of low-income Texas children in SCHIP and Medicaid.

“I was encouraged to hear that more and more low-income children across Texas are being enrolled in SCHIP and Medicaid and beginning to receive the important preventive care they need to lead healthy active lives.  The positive outreach efforts are encouraging but there are still hundreds of thousands of low-income children across the state who are going without essential health care services. We must continue outreach efforts even more aggressively and explore every possible outlet to reach parents and educate them about the services available.

“On the federal level I’m committed to achieving full funding for Texas SCHIP so that every low-income child including those who have yet to enroll will receive the care they need. Just as important I will continue to do my part to coordinate with HHSC to close the communication loop and boost awareness about the compassionate care that is available to Texas children who need it most.”

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee.