Health care
BY DON MUNSCH
Cook Children’s sues Texas over Medicaid contract denial
Samuel and Kathy Grace Sudolcan don’t want to have to change doctors or other care providers for their son, Zechariah, age 2, who grapples with various medical issues. The parents attended a Fort Worth press conference June 26 where they supported the care that Cook Children’s Health Care System provides their child—care that Cook’s o cials say is in jeopardy for many families because of a decision made by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. What’s happening Cook Children’s Health Plan o cials held the news conference to announce legal action designed to stop the Texas Health and Human Services Commission from taking away its longstanding contract for Medicaid STAR and CHIP programs. Cook’s o cials said the commission’s decision threatens to remove the choice of Cook Children’s Health Plan from more than 125,000 families in Tarrant County and surrounding areas. In addition to Cook Children’s, the decision for the Medicaid contract also a ects Texas Children’s, Driscoll Children’s and Baylor Scott & White, said Kim Brown, director of public relations for Cook Children’s Health Care System. The Health and Human Services Commission announced its decision in March, which Cook Chil- dren’s Health Plan o cials protested to the state later in March. On June 6, state o cials denied the protest. The contract expires in September 2025. O cials from Cook Children’s said they have led a lawsuit to overturn the decision as well as legal motions for the Health and Human Services Commission to refrain from moving forward with
Samuel and Kathy Grace Sudolcan speak during a June press conference for Cook Children’s. Their son, Zechariah, age 2, grapples with various medical issues for which the hospital system has been providing care.
COURTESY COOK CHILDREN’S
face a lapse in critical health care needs while being forced to switch to a “national, for-pro t” company. The Health and Human Services Com- mission’s decision was “ awed,” Cook Children’s o cials said, explaining on their website the state’s scoring methodology lacked transparency and disadvantaged regional, provider-sponsored plans like Cook’s. As a result of the commission’s decision, Cook Children’s o cials said 1.8 million of the 3.2 mil- lion children, pregnant women and adults enrolled in the STAR and CHIP plans will be forced to nd a new plan.
its “ awed procurement results.” Jennifer Ru corn, press o cer with the Health and Human Services’ O ce of Communications, said in an email the commission does not com- ment on pending litigation but did say a “change in managed care organizations (MCOs) holding contracts with HHSC does not a ect whether a Medicaid recipient receives services, nor does it a ect the services that a recipient is eligible to receive.” The details Cook Children’s o cials said if the decision is not reversed, Medicaid-dependent families could
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