Federal Stimulus and Texas Health and Human Services

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes funding for a number of health and human services programs. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will update this webpage as more information becomes available about what the federal stimulus means for health and human services in Texas. 

News updates:

• Sept. 30, 2009: HHSC Submits Intended Use Plans
  HHSC submitted intended use plans for appropriations from the federal American Recovery and Investment Act as required by House Bill 4586 and Senate Bill 1 from the 81st Legislature:

  • Summary: Stimulus expenditures by agency
  • Department of Aging and Disability Services
  • Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
  • Department of Family and Protective Services
  • Department of State Health Services
  • Health and Human Services Commission

• Sept. 8, 2009: Texas Qualifies for Tier II Medicaid Match
  The Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) has notified HHSC that Texas qualified for Tier II FMAP reimbursement starting in July 2009. This allows the state to draw a higher federal match for Medicaid expenses. The Tier II federal match rate is 69.85 percent for Texas, up from the Tier I rate of 68.76 percent. In August, CMS published a new methodology for determining each state’s quarterly FMAP using more recent unemployment data. The change will be applied retroactively.

• Aug. 17, 2009: Increase in Annual Payment Helps Low-Income Children With School Expenses

• March 1, 2009: SNAP food benefit amounts to increase in

HHSC Presentations:

• Presentation to the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding – August 2009

• Presentation to the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding – April 2009

• Presentation to the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding - February 2009

• House Committee on Human Services Overview - February 2009

• Presentation to the House Committee on Public Health - Components of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - February 2009

Resources:

• Window on State Government: The Texas Comptroller’s review of what the federal economic stimulus could mean for Texas.

• Texas Stimulus Fund: Website of the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization.

• State Auditor’s Office: How to report fraud, waste or abuse.
  
  
• Recovery.Gov: Federal website on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
  
  
• U.S. Food and Nutrition Service: Provides information about how the stimulus affects SNAP food benefits, the Women, Infants and Children program and other food programs.
  
  
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Provides information about stimulus funding for Medicaid and other health programs.