The Texas Health and Human Services Commision rejected a protest from Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth seeking to remain in the state Medicaid program.
The state’s decision came after a June 4 public hearing in which Kay Molina, a deputy executive commissioner for the commission, told health care institutions to expect an announcement by the end of the week.
“This procurement process has been flawed from the beginning and we will pursue every legal option available, including filing an immediate appeal,” a Cook Children’s spokesperson said in a statement. “We are confident in the strength of our case and believe we will prevail.”
If the current ruling is upheld, the Cook Children’s Health Plan, alongside the Driscoll Health Plan in South Texas and the Texas Children’s Health Plan in the Houston area, will be removed from the STAR and CHIP programs starting September 2025.
The STAR Medicaid program covers those of pregnant women and low-income children, while CHIP provides care for children in families who can’t afford private insurance but make too much money to qualify for Medicaid.
The Cook Children’s Health Plan began in 2000 and provides coverage for families covered by Medicaid and CHIP in the Tarrant County area.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of Tarrant County state lawmakers sent a letter to Cecile Young, executive commissioner with the Health and Human Services Commission, expressing concerns about the possible loss of coverage for their constituents. The lawmakers asked Texas Health and Human Services to delay finalizing the new contract awards until the Legislature meets in January 2025.
“The decision to potentially exclude Cook Children’s will disrupt essential health care services to our community’s most vulnerable populations,” the lawmakers wrote.
Cook Children’s filed its original protest March 21 and argued the changes in the scoring rubric from the state organization lacked transparency. The secondary appeal from the medical institution will go directly to Young.
If the decision stands, nearly 125,000 families and children in Tarrant County will have to find new insurance.
Ismael M. Belkoura is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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