During a hearing covering Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program yesterday, a Texas legislator who serves on the House Committee on Human Services and has served in the legislature since 1995 asked an unbelievable question:
"What's Medicaid?"
Yes, he's a church-going, family-values Texas Republican. He's on the side of the good Christian folk -- I guess unless your church is filled with poor people or your family finds itself unemployed and/or uninsured. That's where his "Christian values" apparently stop.
From the Austin American Statesman:
Give State Rep. Gary Elkins some credit for being honest.
At a hearing yesterday of the House Committee on Human Services, Elkins and other members of the panel considered more than two dozen bills related to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Three hours into the hearing, Elkins asked: "What’s Medicaid?"
The Houston Republican continued: "I know I hear it — I really don’t know what it is. I know that’s a big shock to everybody here in the audience, OK."
He could have kept quiet. He could have asked an aide. He could have Googled it. Instead, he asked the question into the microphone in the middle of a public hearing.
Medicaid, for the record, is the federal-state health insurance program for low-income people and people with disabilities.
Elkins is new to the Human Services Committee. However, he’s served in the House since 1995, where one of the main tasks before him and other lawmakers is crafting the state budget.
A quarter of the state budget is Medicaid.
According to his Web site, more than 30% of the households in his district make less than $25K a year. 15% of those he represents are living in poverty, and 16% are families with children living in poverty. More than 50% are single-parent families.
But this is a state that proudly remains near the bottom of any ranking you see regarding social services. Just like much of the "Bible Belt" south -- one of the best illustrations of Republican "family values" hypocrisy there is.
But, Elkins is such an outstanding legislator! He must be, because the Texas Eagle Forum recognized him as one of the most conservative legislators based on his commitment to Texas families on both social and economic issues throughout the 80th Legislative Session. Additionally, he was selected as a "Texas Taxpayer Hero" by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility based on his votes in the interest of commonsense protections for taxpayers and responsible government spending.
According to the U.S. Census, 3.7 million Texans were enrolled in Medicaid in 2005. That's 16 percent of the state population -- and that was back when the economy was decent.
I can't help but wonder... What would the Jesus that Rep. Elkins so faithfully follows think of his question yesterday?