federal health reform

TribBlog: How Healthy is Your County?

By Alexa Garcia-Ditta Feb. 17, 2010

A national study released today ranks nearly every county in Texas — and in the rest of the country — by mortality and morbidity rates, and the health factors that contribute to them. Full Story

TribBlog: Growing Number of Physicians Use e-Records

By Andrew Kreighbaum Feb. 11, 2010

The number of Texas physicians who use electronic medical records has been on the rise for the last four years, according to a Texas Medical Association study. Full Story

This Might Hurt: A Dose of Politics

By Abby Rapoport Feb. 10, 2010

Immunization advocates want to expand our vaccination database, but the well-educated, middle-class parents who oppose them are organized and driven — and could force lawmakers to take sides in the tussle between personal freedom and public health. Full Story

This Might Hurt

By Abby Rapoport Feb. 9, 2010

Advocates for vaccination records say a complete registry of shots would help the state navigate major health crises. Opponents say it would jeopardize patient privacy. Lawmakers like the potential cost savings, but they still aren’t sure where they stand. Full Story

Paperless Medicine: Training the eWorkforce

By Andrew Kreighbaum Jan. 29, 2010

If doctors in Texas are going to start using electronic medical records, somebody has to teach them how to do it. The state's universities are gearing up to teach the teachers. Full Story

Tommy David, a medical coder at St. David's Hospital. — Credit: Austin Community College District

Barack and a Hard Place

By Reeve Hamilton Jan. 28, 2010

Two very different Texans in the U.S. House of Representatives — Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, and John Carter, R-Round Rock — respond to the president's State of the Union address. Full Story

Rep. Lamar Smith, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Rep. John Carter and Rep. Michael McCaul at groundbreaking for the new Austin United States Federal Courthouse. — Credit: Bob Daemmrich

The Remedy

By Reeve Hamilton, Morgan Smith and Julián Aguilar Jan. 26, 2010

Should Congress salvage health care reform? How? Is it possible? Democrats in the Texas delegation sound off. Full Story

Guest Column: The 2010 Agenda: Public Health

By Eduardo Sanchez Jan. 11, 2010

Three strategies can move Texas in the right direction, health-wise: a statewide indoor smoking ban, statewide universal K-12 coordinated school health programs, and the serious consideration of all available options to reduce the number of uninsured Texans. Full Story

Guest Column: Save Rural Health Care Now

By Don McBeath Jan. 8, 2010

Why the 85 percent of Texans in and near urban areas should be concerned about the health care needs of the 15 percent who don't. Full Story

No Country For Health Care, Part 1: Far From Care

By Emily Ramshaw Jan. 4, 2010

Dozens of rural Texas counties have no primary care doctors, no hospitals, no pharmacies. Many Texans live more than an hour from basic medical care. And some border communities have so little health care that U.S. citizens cross over into Mexico to get it. Full Story

TribBlog: DSHS Will Destroy Blood Spots

By Emily Ramshaw Dec. 22, 2009

The Department of State Health Services will destroy all blood samples taken from infants before May 27, 2009 to settle a lawsuit over the state's newborn screening program. Full Story

TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 18, 2009

Stiles and Thevenot collaborate on the salaries paid to superintendents, and even compare them on price per student… Ramsey’s look at redistricting and next year’s elections… Aguilar’s report on jails, brought to you by the federal agency that’s in the ag business… Rapoport’s peek at the power behind Texas pre-kindergarten programs… Smith’s conversation with Dan Patrick, in three parts… Grissom’s narrative on a circular immigration and deportation route financed by two governments… Ramshaw finds doctors agreeing on public policy and split on strategy and tactics… Hu’s latest Stump Interrupted puts the camera on Farouk Shami… Hamilton’s story on two retired cops who are taking on cargo theft in Texas… And Kreighbaum and Stiles pop open the itineraries of your folks in Congress. The best of our best from December 12 to 18, 2009. Full Story

TribBlog: Have Tx Medical Malpractice Caps Failed?

By Emily Ramshaw Dec. 17, 2009

Medical malpractice liability caps Texas lawmakers installed in 2003 have failed to improve the state's health care system, according to a Public Citizen report released today. Full Story

Same Diagnosis, Different Prescription

By Emily Ramshaw Dec. 17, 2009

In the political posturing over health care reform, the Texas Medical Association and the American Medical Association stand divided. Full Story

Home Alone

By Emily Ramshaw Dec. 16, 2009

The home health care cuts that Congress will likely make to fund federal health care reform will take an extra large swipe at Texas. Full Story

The Polling Center: Public Option, Universal Coverage Divide Texans

By Jim Henson and Adam Myers Dec. 15, 2009

In the health care debate, universal coverage has significant if not overwhelming support, but is also marked by pronounced partisan differences, and Texans appeared truly split down the middle on the “public option.” Full Story

TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith Dec. 12, 2009

Stiles and Babalola's long-awaited red-light camera data app. Grissom's two-parter on a powerful Texan's quest to change the DPS report on the crash that killed his son. Ramshaw's two-parter on transitional medicine. Thevenot on the charter school queue. And a ton of political news: KBH filed (but our TribCasters wondered about her path to the GOP nod); Debra Medina filed (and Hamilton tried to sort out what effect she'll have on the race); Farouk Shami defiantly remained in the Democratic primary (but Hu couldn't find evidence that he'd voted very often, let alone like a Democrat); and Rick Perry sent personalized messages to every Tom, Dick, and fill-in-the-blank. The best of our best from December 7 to 11, 2009 Full Story