Health care advocates flocked to the Capitol on Thursday to urge the Senate Finance Committee to consider expanding Medicaid, restoring funding for family planning services and improving the state’s health care delivery system.
Becca Aaronson
Becca Aaronson was the first product manager at the Tribune, where she worked from 2010 to 2018. As product manager, Becca managed the Tribune's website redesign, coordinates cross-departmental projects and conducted user research to improve reader experience. She previously worked on the Tribune's data visuals team as a developer and project manager, contributing to several award-winning investigative projects. She covered health care from 2012 to 2014, making waves with her coverage of women's health and the Wendy Davis abortion filibuster.
She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural theory from Scripps College in Claremont, Calif.
Posted in
Health care
Updated: Senate Finance Grills Doctor on Medicaid Fraud Allegations
A lead senator on the Senate Finance Committee had tough questions about allegations of Medicaid fraud and whether dental clincs are hurting Texas children.
Posted in
Health care
Family Services Agency Requests Funding for Redesign
Agency commissioners rarely get applause when they ask the Legislature for an additional $263 million. But that’s what happened on Thursday when John Specia asked to for money to redesign the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Posted inHealth care
Interactive: Could Medicaid Expansion Cover Costs?
Use our county-by-county interactive to track annual local spending on unreimbursed health care costs, and to see how those figures compare to the federal dollars counties would receive under the Medicaid expansion.
Posted in
Health care
Senate Finance Committee Tackles Health Budget
The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday opened its discussion on how to finance the state’s health budget by considering the impact of cost containment initiatives and how to proactively curb Medicaid fraud.
Posted in
Health care
State Posts Revised List of Women’s Health Providers
After complaints from lawmakers about its earlier list of Texas Women’s Health Program providers, the state health agency has replaced its list online. The new list has 965 fewer doctors and clinics.
Posted in
Health care
Rate of Foster Kids on Psychotropic Drugs Falls
Though reforms have improved the state’s health care system for foster children, child welfare advocates say, the rate of foster children prescribed psychotropic drugs remains high.
Posted in
Health care
State Audit Exposes More Problems at Cancer Institute
A state audit has revealed that transparency problems at the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas extend beyond the improper review of an $11 million commercialization grant that sparked criminal and civil investigations.
Posted in
Health care
Report: State Should Put Politics Aside, Expand Medicaid
Texas’ Republican leadership is adamant that Texas will not expand Medicaid, a major tenet of federal health reform. A report by the state’s former deputy comptroller and former chief revenue estimator suggests that would be short-sighted.
Posted inState Government
Two from Two Years Ago: Medicaid and Women’s Health
Debates on Texas Medicaid financing and the Texas Women’s Health Program will dominate the health care arena in the coming weeks.
