Federal judge signs off on plan to improve health care access for kids in Texas

A federal judge approved a sweeping settlement that aims to improve access to medical care for more than 2 million poor children in Texas, likely ending a 14-year-old lawsuit over a government health insurance program for children.

State lawmakers already have agreed to provide the more than $700 million (euro513.91 million) necessary to satisfy the terms of the settlement, including rate reimbursements to doctors and dentists.

Lawmakers cut reimbursement rates under the Medicaid health insurance program a in 2003, when the state was facing a $10 billion shortfall in its two-year budget. Children's health care advocates have since complained the rates were so low doctors were increasingly choosing not to participate in Medicaid, making health care options difficult to find in many rural parts of the state.

Rates would increase 50 percent to dentists with varying rates for physicians based on the treatment provided. Currently, doctors are reimbursed on average for about half of the actual costs of providing medical care to children on Medicaid, by some estimates.

"The goal here is to ensure more kids on Medicaid get more care," said Susan Zinn, lead plaintiff's attorney.

Health and Human Services Commissioner Albert Hawkins said he expects more preventive and primary care to replace the need for hospital care. Family outreach initiatives also will be implemented so parents know what services and checkups are available for their children.

The settlement approved by U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice also requires the state to hire more Medicaid case workers and improve transportation options to help parents get to medical appointments.

Most of the changes will take effect Sept. 1.

The case stems from a class action lawsuit filed in 1993 claiming the state did not provide adequate care for children enrolled in Medicaid. The state entered into a consent decree to alleviate the issues addressed, but failed to live up to its part of the deal.

"I'm glad this litigation has been settled," Justice said before signing off on the plan. "I was 73 years old when this case was filed. Now I'm 87."