It is now time to end Medicaid welfare as we have come to know it and make the program what Texas needs: a path to self-sufficiency and safety net for medically vulnerable Texans.

Key points:

  • In 1996, personal responsibility was infused into government welfare programs such as TANF and SNAP.
  • Both Texas and Texans can benefit when personal responsibility is added to welfare programs such as Medicaid.
  • More than a dozen states have taken the initiative to incorporate personal responsibility elements into their Medicaid programs.
  • Texas should seek a Section 1115 waiver to add personal responsibility to its Medicaid program.