From community reports
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia held a telephone town hall meeting this week, inviting constituents from Houston and surrounding areas to discuss pressing issues related to the ongoing government shutdown and the healthcare crisis. The live, interactive event allowed residents to ask questions directly and share their concerns about the impact of federal budget decisions on local families.
Focus on Healthcare and Budget Uncertainty
Opening the call, Congresswoman Garcia emphasized the importance of affordable healthcare and the urgency of resolving the government shutdown.
“We need a spending deal that keeps health care affordable, not one that drives up costs for families and seniors,” Garcia said. She highlighted that tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are set to expire at the end of the year, warning that if Congress does not act, “treatments will double, and in some cases triple for millions of Americans.”
Garcia noted the local impact, saying, “Here in Texas 29, my district, that means that 111,000 of our neighbors will pay hundreds or even thousands more for next year. A family of four earning $64,000 will pay about $2,600 more for the same coverage. This will make it unaffordable, and people will not get their coverage.”
Constituents Voice Concerns
Throughout the event, constituents raised questions about how the shutdown and proposed budget cuts might affect their daily lives. Deborah from Channelview asked about the future of school lunch programs and food assistance.
“Texas has already announced that they don’t have enough money to continue the SNAP program, which means there would be no more cards put in the mail. In terms of the school lunch programs, some of those were eliminated by the Department of Agriculture…every program theoretically expires on the 31st unless it gets funded,” Garcia responded.
Eleanor from Northside expressed concern about her Medicaid and Medicare benefits. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, a former administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, reassured her, “Most people who are on Medicare and Medicaid should not see their coverage disrupted. But things like home and community-based services, other types of benefits, that may change. States are under a lot of financial pressure.”
Howard from Houston asked about Social Security payments.
“The monthly checks will continue. You may end up getting a smaller check if premiums go up for your Medicare Part D program, but your monthly check will continue.”
Healthcare Providers and Community Leaders Weigh In
Guest speakers included leaders from local health systems and community organizations. Ray Purser, board chair of Legacy Community Health Services, described the strain on community health centers.
“Many patients who rely on the enhanced tax credits will lose coverage. It’s going to lead to an increase in the uninsured population, and we’ve already mentioned Texas already has the largest number of uninsured in the country. As more people lose coverage, they will turn to community health centers like Legacy for care. Our resources are already stretched, and additional demand could overwhelm our capacity.”
Robert King-Hellier, senior vice president of public policy and government relations for Harris Health System, added, “We’re looking at probably a $600 to $700 million reduction in financing going to the safety net providers of this county. Harris County has the largest number of uninsured of any county in the nation. It’s over one million.”
Ripple Effects and Community Action
Orlando, a state employee, asked about the ripple effect on employer-provided health insurance.
“It will have a ripple effect and it will end up impacting all of us because all our insurance costs, insurance companies will just start making adjustments. So it will impact us,” Garcia said.
The town hall concluded with a call to action from Garcia.
“Continue to be an advocate, continue to do what you can to make sure people understand that the heart of the matter is healthcare. Our community has been through tough times before—hurricanes, floods, pandemics—and every single time we’ve stood back up together. This moment will be no different,” she ended.
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