Relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to certain individuals under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

HB 197 would expand Texas Medicaid eligibility to all individuals who apply and qualify under federal guidelines set by the Affordable Care Act, using available federal matching funds. It requires the state to provide medical assistance for these applicants starting January 1, 2026, but only if a voter-approved constitutional amendment mandating Medicaid expansion passes. The bill also mandates an annual report on the program's impact, including changes in the uninsured population, state/local health care costs, and hospital charity care expenses. This expansion would directly affect low-income Texans currently excluded from Medicaid but meeting federal eligibility criteria under the ACA.