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.
federal health reform
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Health care
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.
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Health care
House Tentatively OKs Medicaid Fiscal Reform Bill
The House tentatively passed a health care bill that intends to increase efficiency and cost savings in Texas’ expensive Medicaid and other health programs today — but not before adding a far-ranging variety of amendments.
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Health care
Overshadowed by Other Cuts, Med Schools Face Drastic Reductions
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.
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Health care
House Passes Bill on Indigent Health Care for Legal Immigrants
A contentious measure that would allow Texas counties to consider the income of a legal immigrant’s sponsor when determining if the immigrant is eligible for indigent health care passed the state House today.
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Health care
Cardiologists Accuse Victoria Hospital of Discrimination
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.
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Health care
Women’s Health Program Circling the Drain?
Texas’ Women’s Health Program may be circling the drain. Sen. Bob Deuell says he doesn’t have the votes in the Senate to bring up a bill to renew the family planning and preventative care program — and Rep. Garnet Coleman says his House bill is stuck.
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Health care
House Debates Anti-“Obamacare” Bills
In their latest effort to remind Washington how much they hate federal health reform, House lawmakers gave early approval tonight to one measure to hold “Obamacare” at bay and deflected, at least temporarily, another that is directed at the individual mandate for health insurance.
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Health care
House Gives Early OK to Dental Bill
House lawmakers gave an early OK tonight to a measure that would stop health insurance plans from requiring dentists to agree to discounted fees for services not covered by the policy. The bill has already passed the Senate.
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Health care
Update: Planned Parenthood Rallies Against Funding Cuts
At a Capitol press conference this morning, Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and daughter of the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards, said her organization is under siege by GOP lawmakers.
