The Texas Legislature has declined to pass any broad expansion of state and federal health care coverage for uninsured Texans since the Affordable Care Act of 2010 required states to expand Medicaid — a provision later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Full Story
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House members have filed nearly 240 proposed tweaks to the massive spending plan and are expected to spend hours taking votes on controversial issues ranging from Medicaid expansion to border security. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature is working on a budget that spends around $250 billion. But it doesn't include billions in federal COVID-19 relief money or account for big changes that could rock the state's Medicaid programs. Full Story
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Expanding the Medicaid rolls to include more than a million Texans could get a floor vote during House budget hearings on Thursday. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Imelda Garcia, the chair of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Panel, about what it takes to get needles in the arms of Texans — and how long it will really be before we’ve reached herd immunity. Full Story
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Equality Texas CEO Ricardo Martinez said Texas has filed more anti-LGBTQ bills this session than any other state legislature. Full Story
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Lisa Stanton and her daughter, Maya, say the slate of anti-trans bills at the Legislature could force them to move out of state. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story
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The Washington Post, citing two federal health officials, said the decision was a bid to push Texas toward expanding Medicaid. Full Story
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The bills now head to the full House for debate. Versions already passed by the Senate are also pending. Each measure will need to be approved by both chambers before becoming law. Full Story
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Nearly 9,000 Texas nursing home residents have died of COVID-19. This is what the last year of chaos and isolation was like for nursing homes residents and the employees who care for them. Full Story
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Efforts to vaccinate young people, rural Texans, communities of color and people experiencing homelessness have been impacted by the pause. Full Story
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Daily new cases and the positivity rate have leveled off over the past month, while deaths and hospitalization have gone down substantially. Full Story
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Texas is still about 13 million people away from herd immunity to the coronavirus. The state is chasing that goal even as Texans begin to act like the pandemic is over. Full Story
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The former Republican governor is throwing his weight behind a bill by state Rep. Alex Dominguez, D-Brownsville, that would order a clinical study of using psilocybin — found in "magic mushrooms" — to help veterans with mental health problems. Full Story
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At the state's three FEMA vaccination sites in Dallas, Arlington and Houston, officials said that vaccine efforts would continue but that officials would not be administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Full Story
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Supporters say Senate Bill 14 will make it easier for businesses to operate in multiple cities. Opponents call it an "existential threat to Texas workers.” Full Story
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Texas is beating the national rate in terms of seniors fully vaccinated, but unique challenges make it harder to move up in the rankings in other areas, officials and experts say. Full Story
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On this week's Tribcast, Matthew talks to Karen, Patrick and Ross about the race to reach herd immunity in Texas and the early maneuverings in the 2022 election cycle. Full Story
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The number of reported maternal deaths has increased nationwide in recent decades. Health experts and advocates say giving low-income moms Medicaid coverage for a year after delivery, rather than two months, could save lives. Full Story
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The state budget approved by the Texas Senate on Tuesday is just the start: Lawmakers still have to decide what to do with billions in federal COVID-19 relief money. Full Story
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