At this point, you've probably learned that the Obamacare repeal plan in Congress is expected to make private health insurance more expensive and out of reach for millions of Americans. In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) just announced that it expects 24 million fewer Americans to have health insurance in 2026 if the bill passes.

But did you know that the bill includes a provision to permanently restructure Medicaid using a "per-capita cap," giving states a lump sum of funding that will amount to bigger cuts each year? According to one estimate, states would lose $116 billion in funding for the "non-expansion" Medicaid population over the next decade.

Here in Texas, that means health care cuts for the four main populations our Medicaid program serves: children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and seniors.

We're deeply concerned about the impact of these health care cuts on Texas children. We're also concerned that by cutting federal health funding for state budgets, Congress will make it harder for the Legislature to invest in other priorities, such as education.

Although there is significant opposition to the plan, Congress is trying to pass the bill quickly. Two House Committees approved the bill late last week and the House Budget Committee (including Texas Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston and Jodey Arrington of Lubbock and Abilene) will take up the bill this week.

We encourage you to contact Congress this week through the health care hotline -- 866-426-2631 -- to express your concern about the plan, particularly the proposal to cut Medicaid for kids and others through the "per-capita cap."