"Like Leaving Family": Families Devastated by Potential Loss of Cook Children's Health Plan

Cook Children's Health Plan (CCHP) remains committed to protecting more than 125,000 families who rely on our plan for the care and well-being of their children. The hope is that Texas representatives will recognize how beneficial and necessary this plan is for North Texas families and to find solutions that allow us to keep our promise of serving every child.

For nearly 25 years, CCHP has been a dedicated provider and protector in ensuring the well-being of every child.  The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has denied CCHP a renewed contract for the upcoming year causing many families to face uncertainty in the future of their child’s care.

If nothing is done to help community health plans, many children will be forced to change their doctors, nurses, and specialized care providers. For families, this ongoing care for their children has been part of their daily lives for years. Our state officials can prevent the children in our care from being forced to leave what they consider home.

“Cook Children’s has built a relationship with myself and with my children, and they have gotten to know them well over time. Especially when you have kids with special needs, that’s very important because Cook Children’s has taken the time to get to know them, to really see how they respond to different treatments and how they are when they’re sick. Cook Children’s knows what I need as a parent. So that’s been very important to our family,” Rebekah Jones, mother of three boys said.

“It really impacts everything in your life. All these years that the kids have been with these physicians and nurses and staff who have gotten to know them — and that changing is like leaving a family and changing families. It’s not just a simple procedure,” Jones added.

Our health plan ensures the best possible care for Tarrant County area children through a comprehensive network of support. Families benefit from a vast primary care and specialty care network, two medical centers and conveniently located Neighborhood Health Clinics, Urgent Care Centers and Home Health services. We also offer families a host of community health programs and educational offerings. 

President of Cook Children’s Health Plan Karen Love said other nonlocal for-profit health plans do not know the community as well as the employees and providers who live in and want to serve their community.

“The national for-profit plans don’t know the community the way that we do. They don’t know the resources that are available to help our members with things that are outside the medical benefit realm,” Love said. “So, a mom’s struggling to afford diapers. Where’s the diaper bank? Where’s the nearest food pantry? All those things that families may need help with. They need it from somebody who knows the area and can advise them on where to go.”

Our health plan ensures access to vital care for our most vulnerable. If nothing is done, this decision by Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to deny CCHP a new contract then over 76% of Tarrant County and 56% of Texas Medicaid and CHIP Members will be forced to choose a new health plan.

The potential disruption of community health plans causes uncertainty for families and jeopardizes the health of our children. We ask our state officials to find a way for CCHP to continue our crucial work in the community and serving our children.

Very soon, Texas Legislators are expected to consider two proposed bills that protect the health care of vulnerable Texas children—House Bill 3538, introduced by Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, and Senate Bill 2388, filed by State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen. 

To learn more about how this is impacting our community, families and employees please visit Save Cook Children's Health Plan.

To read what Cook Children’s Health Care System President and CEO Rick W. Merrill has to say on this issue, please click here.