Texas Removes More Than 1 in 4 Children From Health Care Plan

Source: Newsweek

Oct 02, 2025 at 06:55 AM EDT updated Oct 02, 2025 at 10:13 AM EDT


More than 1 million children in Texas have been rolled off the state's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) over the course of just over two years, according to data from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and news organization. Child enrollment in Medicaid/CHIP in the state decreased by 27 percent, equating to just over one in four children, between March 2023 and June 2025, as part of the unwinding process happening nationwide after Medicaid coverage was expanded following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) told Newsweek it was "committed to ensuring that those qualified for benefits receive them." HHSC said it worked closely with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) throughout the pandemic and the Medicaid unwind process. "Redetermining eligibility within federal requirements was a massive undertaking," the commission added.

Why It Matters

The unwinding process has resulted in significant drops in Medicaid enrollment across the U.S., and with millions more Americans expected to lose coverage following the passage of President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' according to Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecasts.

After a new study highlighted that the majority of American children rely on Medicaid and CHIP in the first 18 years of their life, more concern has been raised about what higher uninsured rates among children means for their health outcomes long-term.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/texas-removes-1-in-4-children-health-care-10811280