Texas House Human Services Committee Hearing RE: STAR Kids, STAR, STAR Health, STAR Plus Testimony

Life & Death. That is what Medicaid, CHIP & StarKids means to us. Right now the Texas Legislature at the State Capitol in Austin is taking another UNNECESSARY swing at Budget Cuts to these Life Saving Programs. This is 100% of the reason for my Political Activism. The Republicans are going to KILL my Grandson.

https://www.revolvingdoorhr.com/philosophyofhealthcarefund

Below is my Official Testimony Letter I have email as I can't be there in person:

Lisa Annette Stanley

Independent Health Insurance Agent

5711 Sugar Hill Drive, #97

Houston, TX 77057

“…putting the Caring Back in Health CARE”

lisaannette145@sbcglobal.net

Kari Brock, Medicaid/CHIP Services Department, Policy Development,

4900 North Lamar Blvd., MC-H310, Austin, TX 78751.

STARKids@hhsc.state.tx.us.

May 7, 2018

House Human Services Committee Hearing RE: STAR Kids, STAR, STAR Health, STAR Plus

Governor Greg Abbott, Members of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee, Members of the House Human Services Committee & Ms Kari Brock:

“Putting the Caring Back in Health CARE” isn’t just my Email signature, it’s a way of life for me since becoming a Life & Health Insurance Agent in 2006.

My name is Lisa Annette Stanley, age 57 from Houston, Texas: Health Insurance Agent, Obamacare Insured & first time Grandmother.

My only Grandson Solomon Oliver Lanford. Solomon has a Pre-Existing Condition for Life.

His Intestines were surgically removed at birth.

Solomon will die without CHIP.

He has a condition known as Volvulus of the Intestines.

1 in 500 live births in the US are affected by this, making this one of the most common birth defects no one's ever heard of.

Volvulus of the intestine in newborns is caused by malrotation (mal-ro-tation) of the intestines at around 10 weeks of fetal development. The progression of malrotation to the point of volvulus is a life-threatening medical emergency that requires surgical intervention.

Solomon is now on Intravenous Feeding known as TPN Total Parenteral Nutrition.

This is what is inside the backpack in the picture above.

This is his food that he needs every day.

Before any doctor office visits, before any hospitalizations, before any procedures he needs to eat.

Solomon needs an Organ Transplant, so TPN will be a fact of his life as long as he lives.

We are so very thankful for the financial assistance for Medical Care that is afforded to my grandson by CHIP.

As a grandmother & as an Insurance Agent, I am deeply alarmed by the repeated attempts to take Life-Saving Benefits from the most fragile among us.

Solomon will have a Pre-Existing Condition for LIFE.

If this Bill passes, Solomon may face being Uninsurable.

He may face outrageously unaffordable premiums.

He may have a Lifetime Limit put on his care if he is even offered Coverage at all.

As an Agent, I got into this industry 11 years ago out of a genuine interest in helping myself by helping others, going places others would not go: the Low-Income charity cases, working in the HIV/AIDS free clinic, etc. I haven't found much caring among Medicare providers - & now this nightmare of repeated attempts to Repeal & Replace Obamacare, Medicaid & CHIP.

I need to point out what I view as stunning hypocrisy in Republican Leadership with respect to The Affordable Care Act /vs/ the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.

The MMA was implemented in the George W. Bush Administration that created LIS Low Income Subsidies for Senior Citizens on Medicare.

Is this not the same thing that President Barack Obama did for the rest of us?

Of course it is.

If it was a good idea when the Republicans created subsidies for Senior Citizens on Medicare, why is it a bad idea for the Democrats to create subsidies for working class people under the age of 65?

The Mid-Term Elections are coming up & I will vote to “Repeal & Replace Elected Officials” who vote against kids.

Please vote for Texas Kids. Please vote to Save Our Care.

Thank You

Lisa Annette Stanley, Grandmother of Solomon Oliver Lanford, age 3.