The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
In this week's edition of the Trib+Health newsletter: Lawmakers tackle pending health legislation, The New Yorker's Atul Gawande returns to McAllen and an interview with Scott Walters of the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Full Story
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Texas moved a step closer to banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors after the state House gave tentative approval Monday to a bill that lawmakers say would prevent young Texans from purchasing nicotine products. Full Story
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UPDATED: House Bill 1514, which would add a special label to the health insurance cards of people receiving financial assistance under the Affordable Care Act, tentatively passed the Texas House on Friday. Opinions are mixed on what the impact would be. Full Story
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Texas consumers could soon be able to buy raw milk at farmers markets and receive such deliveries straight from the dairy under legislation tentatively approved by the House on Thursday. Full Story
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Epilepsy patients in Texas would have access to medicinal oils containing a therapeutic component found in marijuana under legislation the state Senate passed Thursday. Full Story
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Republican state Rep. Allen Fletcher of Cypress confirmed on Thursday that he will abandon his House seat for a bid to replace Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, who is running for mayor of Houston. Full Story
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With billions of federal dollars for hospitals in jeopardy as Texas leaders maintain their opposition to Medicaid expansion, budget writers met Thursday to discuss what is at stake for Texas' health care safety net. Full Story
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A measure to provide workplace protections for female teachers who need to pump breast milk while at work is picking up opposition in the Senate. Full Story
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Lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit the Department of Family and Protective Services from making a finding of "abuse" or "neglect" against a parent who surrenders parental rights to get a child mental health care. Full Story
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After an unsuccessful attempt to include an exception for rape and incest, a measure to ban abortion coverage from health insurance plans cleared the Texas Senate on Wednesday. Full Story
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A state lawmaker is pushing to make all financial disclosure statements filed with the Texas Ethics Commission available online so the public can easily find them. In that spirit, the Tribune presents the disclosures filed by scores of state agency heads, regents and others that you can't get online now. Full Story
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The Texas Senate on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a measure that would prohibit health insurers from covering abortion. Full Story
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At our 5/4 symposium on health care, state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, the chairman of the House Public Health Committee, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, the chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, talked about how the issue is playing out in the 84th session. Full Story
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As state lawmakers enter the last month of the 84th Legislature, they advanced a number of measures that would further restrict abortions, drug test political candidates and facilitate engagement with constituents on social media. Full Story
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The rate of Texans without health insurance has fallen 8 percentage points since enrollment began in the federal Affordable Care Act, according to a new study. Full Story
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Dallas-based Teladoc is fighting tooth and nail to stop an impending rule change by the Texas Medical Board that could undermine the company's business model of having doctors consult with patients over the phone or internet. Full Story
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The craftsmanship of a measure by state Rep. Molly White, R-Belton, intended to address coerced abortions was met with skepticism on Wednesday by the chairman of the House State Affairs Committee. Full Story
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After months of little movement in the Texas Legislature on proposals to further restrict abortion, the pace is picking up as a flurry of bills moves to the House and Senate floors. Full Story
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Texas health officials recently changed doctor reimbursement rates to make it easier for low-income women to obtain intrauterine devices. Advocates say the payoff for the state, which has one of the highest teen birth rates in the U.S., could be big. Full Story
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A bill that that would allow epilepsy patients in Texas to use medicinal oils containing a therapeutic component found in marijuana was considered by state lawmakers in an emotional hearing on Tuesday. Full Story
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