North Texas Community Health Advocate to Join Johnson for Trump’s First Address to a Joint Session of Congress
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) will be joined by Dr. John Carlo, CEO of Prism Health North Texas, a community health clinic that serves thousands of North Texas residents, including Medicaid patients, as her guest to Donald Trump’s first Address to a Joint Session of Congress.
“Since taking office, Trump has weakened our health care system by cutting millions in funding for cancer research, hospital support, and clinical trials that offer hope to Texans in need,” said Johnson. “Meanwhile, his administration and Republicans in Congress are pushing a budget that would cut Medicaid and leave over 100,000 of my neighbors without health insurance. This includes over 80,000 children and over 12,000 seniors in my district. This would be catastrophic for North Texas families, leading to nursing homes being closed, doctors refusing care to patients, health care claims being denied, and more. I’m proud to bring Dr. Carlo as my guest to Trump’s first address to Congress to emphasize the importance of safe, reliable, and affordable health care for our communities.”
“I am very excited to be joining Rep. Julie Johnson as her guest for tomorrow’s State of the Union Address,” said Dr. Carlo. “Rep. Johnson knows how important it is to stand up for affordable access to health care, and she truly understands the challenges facing all Texans, especially those who use Medicaid for life-saving care.”
Over 4.8 million Texans rely on Medicaid, which is over 16 percent of the entire state. Under the Republican budget plan, the average premium for 103,000 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act in Texas’ 32nd Congressional District would increase by $380 per year, a 69% increase. A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 would see their health insurance premiums increase by over $13,000 annually, an 181% increase.
Dr. John Carlo joined Prism Health North Texas as Chief Executive Officer in 2012. Previously he served as Program Director for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and served as the Medical Director and Health Authority for Dallas County. Dr. Carlo has over 20 years of service in leadership roles for the American Medical Association (AMA), the Texas Medical Association (TMA), and the Dallas County Medical Society (DCMS).
He currently serves on the AMA’s Council on Science and Public Health and is a member of TMA’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Carlo served as chair for the Texas Public Health Coalition which was instrumental in the passage of legislation raising the minimum age to 21 for buying tobacco in Texas. In 2021, Dr. Carlo was awarded the Dr. Max Cole Distinguished Service Award by the DCMS, and in 2015 he was awarded the TMA’s Presidential Award for leadership during the Dallas Ebola crisis. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from Parkland Health for his role during Dallas’ support for Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
Prism Health North Texas (PHNTX) opened services in 1986 during the HIV/AIDS crisis in North Texas, through an initial grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Formed as AIDS Arms Network out of the Community Council of Greater Dallas, PHNTX, for the past 38 years, has served the critical role of connecting people living with HIV to care and services in the area. PHNTX evolved to be a nationally recognized leader in delivering high-quality HIV and sexual health services, most recently expanding services to address the alarming rise in sexually transmitted infections in Dallas County and North Texas. Roughly 30% of people living with HIV in North Texas receive medical care and support at one of the four health centers.
Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’ 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.
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