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. 

Weekly Reports:

HHSC provides weekly reports on stimulus funds requested, received and spent to the Texas Comptroller’s Office. These reports are available on the Comptroller’s Texas Recovery website.

News updates:

• October 7, 2010 - ARRA FMAP Updates:

  The 3-month average unemployment rate of 8.2 percent for December 2009 through February 2010 qualified HHSC to remain in TIER III (FMAP rate of 70.94 percent) for the last 2 quarters of the ARRA FMAP adjustment (July 1, 2010-December 31, 2010).

• October 7, 2010 - ARRA FMAP Updates:

  The ARRA FMAP was set to expire on December 31, 2010 but has been extended for six-months at phased-down rates. The phased-down state fiscal year 2011 FMAP rates are 68.11 percent from January 2011 through March 2011 and 66.23 percent from April 2011 through June 2011.  With the FMAP extension, the average state fiscal year 2011 FMAP is 67.33 percent.

• Jan. 28, 2010: Texas Qualifies for Tier III Medicaid Match The Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) notified HHSC that Texas qualified for Tier III FMAP reimbursement starting in October 2009. This adjustment is based on recent unemployment data and allows the state to draw a higher federal match for Medicaid expenses. The Tier III federal match rate is 70.94 percent for Texas, up from the Tier II rate of 69.85 percent. This FMAP will be in effect until July 1, at which time CMS will recalculate the tiers.

• 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 April

HHSC Presentations:

• Presentation to the House Select Committee on Federal Stabilization Funding – September 2010

• Presentation to the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding - February 2010

• 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

Quarterly Expenditure Reports:

HHSC provides quarterly expenditure reports on stimulus funds to the Legislative Budget Board. FY2010 Second Quarter Report

Reports on Grants Administered by HHSC:
State Health Information Exchange Program, March 2010



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.