Kolkhorst Holding Nelson's Health Bill Hostage
Rep. Lois Kolkhorst is holding Sen. Jane Nelson's health reform bill hostage. Full Story
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![Sen Jane Nelson R-Flower Mound during Senate Finance Committee meeting on April 19th, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
State Efforts to Take Control of Medicaid Struggling
Texas’ efforts to take control over Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for poor children and the disabled, could be in trouble. Full Story
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House Gives First OK to Dewhurst's Health Reform
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
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![Rep. Lois Kolkhorst R-Brenham and Rep. John Zerwas R-Simonton during amendment discussion for SB 8 on May 24th, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Dewhurst, Abbott, Nelson Fire Back at Trade Commission
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
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Feds Warn Health Care Changes Could Harm Consumers
The Federal Trade Commission is warning that one of the key health care reform bills trumpeted by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, could substantially harm consumers. Full Story
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![Sen. Jane Nelson and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst introduce legislation designed to improve Texas health care.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Budget Cuts Jeopardize Care for Critically Ill Children
Facing an estimated 28 percent reduction in funds to care for medically fragile children, in-home nursing companies say they could be forced to shut their doors, or else dramatically slash what they pay nurses. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Senate Discusses Fracking Disclosure Bill
A Senate committee heard testimony this morning from Halliburton and others on a bill that would require drilling companies to disclose the chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing. The bill has been left pending until the House takes a final vote on its version. Full Story
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Institutions for Disabled Unlikely to See Major Cuts
Advocates for shuttering Texas’ institutions for the disabled thought they had the numbers on their side: a budget crisis so severe that lawmakers would have to close some state-supported living centers. With less than a month left in the session, their hopes are largely dashed. Full Story
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![Austin State-Supported Living Center employee Tamika Mays is shown with resident Rebecca Hadnot in 2011.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Senate Approves Medicaid Savings Bill
The Senate unanimously approved Sen. Jane Nelson’s bill to find extensive cost savings in Texas’ Medicaid program, the primary health care provider for children, the disabled and the very poor. Full Story
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Has Patient Privacy Bill Hit a Snag?
State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst’s bill to further protect Texans’ private medical information looks stuck; it’s been three weeks since it passed out of committee, and it hasn’t yet been set for a House vote. Full Story
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Video: House Unlikely to Support Senate Budget
The Senate Finance Committee passed a budget this week that proposes spending about $12 billion more than the House in the next biennium. At first glance, House Appropriations Chair Jim Pitts says there's no way his chamber can meet the Senate halfway. Full Story
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Senate Panel OKs Expanding Managed Care to Valley
A bill designed to find cost savings and efficiencies in Texas' costly Medicaid program — and, more controversially, expand managed care into the Rio Grande Valley — is moving to Senate budget writers for consideration. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Ano Lobb / Todd Wiseman -
When Cutting the Budget Actually Costs Money
Cutting the budget can be expensive. Something that appears to save money can, on further inspection, cost more. Family planning, for instance. Full Story
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Health Payment Reform Bills Get Warm Reception
Two sweeping bills to reward patient outcomes — as opposed to the current system that incentivizes overutilization — got a warm welcome in a Senate committee hearing this morning. Full Story
![Sen. Jane Nelson and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst introduce legislation designed to improve Texas health care.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Committee Votes to Restore $4.5 Billion for Health Services
Deliberation about what to cut — and whom to save — ended with a vote to restore $4.5 billion to state health agencies at a Senate Health and Human Services subcommittee hearing this morning. The issue now goes to the full Senate Finance Committee. Full Story
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Surging Growth of Neonatal ICUs Brings Increased Budget Scrutiny
State health officials, searching for solutions to Texas’ budget shortfall, are eying neonatal intensive care units, which they fear are being overbuilt and overused by hospitals eager to profit from the high-cost care. Full Story
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![Baby Mila, who was born 3 months early, with mom Adrienne Ball in Seton Medical Center Austin's neonatal intensive care unit. Texas lawmakers are looking for ways to curb prenatal births and the high costs they present for the state's Medicaid program.]()
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Guy Clifton: The TT Interview
The Houston neurosurgeon, author and frequent health care adviser to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on his support for the individual insurance mandate, why cutting provider rates to rescue the budget is misguided and how far Texas would trim Medicaid if given the permission. Full Story
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Dewhurst, Nelson Unveil Health Care Bills
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Grapevine, introduced two bills Wednesday they believe could save the state a significant amount of money and produce "healthy patient outcomes." Full Story
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Dewhurst, Nelson Unveil Health Care Bills
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Grapevine, introduced two bills Wednesday they believe will save the state money by increasing "healthy patient outcomes." Full Story
![Sen. Jane Nelson and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst introduce legislation designed to improve Texas health care.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas vs. "Obamacare": How the Words Stack Up
Senate lawmakers unveiled bills today to reform how health care is paid for and how providers are held accountable for patient outcomes. Here's a look at how the wording of Texas' proposed reform legislation compares to the wording of the often-maligned federal health care reform law in Washington. Full Story
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![Texas Health Care Reform language.]()
Credit: Wordle