November 16, 2016
Via Email: [email protected]
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Attn: Rate Analysis
H-400, PO Box 149030
Austin, Texas 78714
Re: Proposed Payment Rate Adjustment for the Medical Policy Review of Human Donor Milk
Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on the proposed rate adjustments to Medicaid payment rates for the Medical Policy Review of Human Donor Milk. We commend the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for their leadership and dedicated efforts to improve maternal and infant health in Texas. Texans Care for Children strongly supports HHSC’s proposed adjustment related to Medicaid payments for human donor milk. This critical step will increase the availability and use of human milk in neonatal units (NICUs) and, in turn, improve infant health, prevent infections and illnesses in babies, improve child growth and development, and reduce costs for the state.
Texans Care for Children is a statewide non-profit, non-partisan, multi-issue children’s policy organization that works to drive policy change to improve the lives of Texas children today for a stronger Texas tomorrow. We collaborate with community leaders and local partners around the state to identify challenges facing children and families and develop policy solutions to improve the well-being of Texas children and families. Recognizing that a child’s experiences during first years of life significantly influence her health, development, and ability to succeed in school, we are particularly focused on policy solutions that will improve the health of moms, babies, and infants.
Human milk is both food and medicine for babies. Years of research show that breastfeeding and human milk have significant nutritional and medical benefits for infants, particularly babies that are born too early (premature) or too small (low birth weight).
Texans Care for Children's full comments to HHSC are available here.
