Past Contributions

• House Gives First OK to Dewhurst's Health Reform

  By Emily Ramshaw May 24, 2011

  House lawmakers have given the first OK to a key piece of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's health reform plan, after efforts to turn the bill into a health care Christmas tree fell short. Full Story 

• Dewhurst, Abbott, Nelson Fire Back at Trade Commission

  By Emily Ramshaw May 23, 2011

  State lawmakers have fired back against a Federal Trade Commission letter suggesting Senate Bill 8 — a key piece of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's health reform push — violates antitrust laws. The measure is expected to come up for a vote in the House on Tuesday. Full Story 

• End-of-Life Bills Appear Dead

  By Emily Ramshaw May 23, 2011

  For the third session in a row, legislation covering end-of-life care in Texas appears, well, dead. Full Story 

• Smoking Ban May Face Uphill Battle in Senate

  By Emily Ramshaw and Becca Aaronson May 23, 2011

  House lawmakers successfully tacked a statewide smoking ban onto a broad Senate fiscal matters bill last weekend. But whether it will stick in the upper chamber is another question entirely. Full Story 

• Family Planning Programs Face Steep Cuts, Elimination

  By Emily Ramshaw, Becca Aaronson and Thanh Tan May 23, 2011

  The state's family planning budget is getting increasingly thin. Budget conferees appear poised to go with the cheapest possible option for offering minimal family planning services, and a Medicaid program that provides screenings and contraception is circling the drain. Full Story 

• Family Practice Residencies Take Big Budget Hit

  By Emily Ramshaw May 23, 2011

  The residency programs that train Texas family physicians will take a big hit under the education budget agreement lawmakers unveiled today. Full Story 

• Texas Hospitals Face Dramatic Payment Overhaul

  By Emily Ramshaw May 23, 2011

  The budget that state lawmakers are poised to accept attempts to eliminate wide variations in what hospitals are paid by Medicaid for performing the same procedures on similarly sick patients — a sweeping change in how Texas hospitals are funded. Full Story 

• Overshadowed by Other Cuts, Med Schools Face Drastic Reductions

  By Emily Ramshaw May 18, 2011

  Texas medical schools feel like the scorned children of the state’s education budget. Lost amid the pleas of parents to restore funding for public education, and the demands of college students to preserve financial aid, the state’s health care institutions say few seem to understand the drastic situation they face. Full Story 

• Statewide Smoking Ban Not Stubbed Out Yet

  By Emily Ramshaw and Becca Aaronson May 16, 2011

  Don't stub out the statewide smoking ban bill yet. The bill's House and Senate authors say they've got a vehicle for the measure to be passed, and they're still hopeful Texas will be the first southern state to outlaw the habit in restaurants, bars and most public places. Full Story 

• Cardiologists Accuse Victoria Hospital of Discrimination

  By Emily Ramshaw May 15, 2011

  The emails and memos written by administrators and doctors at Victoria's Citizens Medical Center about three of their colleagues of Indian descent are, at best, derogatory. At worst, they could be seen as racist — and they're the subject of a sweeping discrimination suit. Full Story