Senate Finance hears LBB and agency summary of HHSC Article 2 budget; members press on Medicaid forecasts and staffing

The Senate Finance Committee received a Legislative Budget Board summary of Article 2 (Health and Human Services) funding and a follow‑up presentation from the Health and Human Services Commission and agency staff. The discussion covered Medicaid and CHIP forecasts, provider rate increases, new state hospital capacity, community attendant wages, and staffing needs for eligibility and state hospital operations.

Eric Schroeder of the Legislative Budget Board summarized the LBB introduced recommendations for the 2026‑27 biennium: "Recommendations for the 2026‑27 biennium include $94,000,000,000 from all funds," he told the committee, noting the package is a 2.1% increase from the current adjusted base. LBB highlighted that recommended increases include $74.4 billion for Medicaid client services, a $4.3 billion rise driven largely by forecasted caseload growth and rate changes.

Key LBB numbers cited to the committee included a $2.0 billion allowance for forecasted Medicaid caseload growth and previously approved rate…