health care

Texas investigating highly contagious whooping cough at state Capitol

by Alex Samuels

Lawmakers were alerted that a page on the House floor had the infection, triggering discussions about vaccine policies in the state.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Senate Parliamentarian Karina Davis on on the Senate floor on Jan. 9, 2019.

Despite powerful supporters, medical cannabis proposals face obstacle in Dan Patrick

by Alex Samuels

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's wariness of proposals to expand the state's narrow medical cannabis program may block any such bills from reaching the governor's desk this session.

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Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flowermound, introduces SB 3 on the Senate Floor on Mar. 4, 2019.

Texas lawmakers are prioritizing mental health for school safety. But advocates worry about stigma.

The newfound push this session around school safety and preventing mass shootings is reinvigorating ideas about mental health care for Texas children. But advocates often cringe when legislators make the argument that mental health care is the key to preventing mass shootings.

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Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, 46, runs a St. Patrick's Day 5K race during a three-day road trip across Iowa, in North Liberty, Iowa on March 16, 2019.

In Iowa, Beto O'Rourke works to find his footing on health care

by Patrick Svitek

O'Rourke has long said he wants health care to be affordable, high quality and universal — a goal that brought questions from voters during his first few days as a presidential candidate.

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Kristal Macaluso, phlebotomist at Western Hills Clinic, reorganized medical supplies, Monday March 11, 2019. The clinic is a part of Tarrant County MHMR and serves low income clients with behavioral health and substance abuse needs.

A federal safety net funds health care for uninsured Texans. Time is running short to negotiate its renewal.

by Edgar Walters

A federal program known as the 1115 waiver helps pay for the costs of providing health care to the uninsured. Advocates want the Texas Legislature to order a renegotiation of the waiver, which partially expires in 2021.

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The wound care center at Eastland Memorial Hospital.

Property tax proposal piles one more worry on Texas' rural hospital districts

by Shannon Najmabadi

Hospital leaders say restrictions on their property tax revenue growth could force them to scale back services.

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Immigration, border security remain the top worries of Texas voters, UT/TT Poll finds

by Ross Ramsey

Ask Texans what problems they're most worried about for the U.S. and for the state, and their eyes turn to the border between Texas and Mexico, the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll found.

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A hallway at the Whole Woman's Health clinic in Austin, which shut down in 2014.

A Texas legislative session without an abortion fight? Unlikely.

by Marissa Evans

Despite the fact that lawmakers have so far been focused on bipartisan "bread and butter" issues like property taxes and school finance, more than a dozen abortion-related bills are circulating in the state Capitol.

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Texans don’t see eye-to-eye on climate, health care or taxes, UT/TT Poll finds

by Ross Ramsey

If you want a peek into the partisan differences among Texas voters, just check the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll's findings on climate change, health insurance plans and who ought to pay higher federal income taxes.

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Nearly 200 people in Texas detention facilities have contracted mumps

by Marissa Evans

The Texas Department of State Health Services says 186 people, including immigrants and detention center employees, were confirmed with cases of mumps since October.

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A trauma crash room at the Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas. The driver responsibility program funds most of trauma care in Texas.

Sweeping legislation takes aim at shock emergency room bills in Texas

by Jay Root and Shannon Najmabadi

Committee chairs from both chambers unveiled the proposal on Thursday.

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Texas lawmakers look to the "cloud" for storing sensitive government data

by Edgar Walters

In hopes of saving money on data storage, legislators are considering downsizing the state's data centers and relying more on private tech companies.

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Voters in four states have approved Medicaid expansion by ballot. Will Texas do the same?

by Marissa Evans

Idaho, Maine, Nebraska and Utah voters approved Medicaid expansion through ballot initiatives. Now Texas legislators have filed bills for a vote over whether the state should expand coverage for the joint federal-state health insurance program.

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Patient Francisco Garcia (also a doctor at Kelsey Seybold) arrives at Kelsey-Seybold clinic in Sugar Land, Texas, Thursday, September 22, 2011 to see his doctor Spencer Berthelsen for annual physical.

Thousands of Texans were shocked by surprise medical bills. Their requests for help overwhelmed the state.

by Jay Root and Shannon Najmabadi

“It’s going to take us a while to get out of this backlog that we’re in, but we’re doing the things necessary to help more consumers,” a state official said.

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Dr. Noor Abushagur uses a slit lamp, a microscope used to examine the inner and outer structures of the eye, to make sure Eliecer Arce's retina looks normal. He originally came in with severe swelling, unable to see and was diagnosed with Vogt Koyanagi Harada (VKH), an auto immune condition. Dec 4, 2018.

Texas optometrists "just roll our eyes" over treatment restrictions in the state

by Marissa Evans

Amid what some call an eye care crisis, Texas optometrists are hoping the Legislature will give them more power to help patients without needing other doctors. But ophthalmologists say allowing optometrists more power would put patients' vision at risk.

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Ken Paxton at the inaguration ceremony of Judge Michelle Slaughter at the state capitol. Jan. 11, 2019.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking more power this session to prosecute voter fraud and abortion-related crimes

by Emma Platoff

Paxton's office has asked lawmakers for millions more in funding and expanded jurisdiction to go after certain crimes. Critics say the requests are aimed at political gains.

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Sign indicating the presence of poison gas in Pecos County, Texas.

Report: Unauthorized air pollution in Texas up 27 percent in 2017

by Kiah Collier

An analysis by the research arm of Environment Texas found that 275 companies across the state reported emitting 63 million pounds of hazardous and climate-warming pollutants from their facilities in 2017.

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Group of Planned Parenthood supporters outside the Texas Capitol on July 29, 2015 on the morning when the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services was being held

Federal appeals court lifts order blocking Texas from kicking Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid

by Emma Platoff

Texas moved to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid years ago after a highly-edited video from an anti-abortion group suggested abortion providers sold fetal tissue.

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Police tape in front of Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, on May 20, 2018.

How will the Texas Legislature address school shootings? Likely not with gun control.

by Alex Samuels

State leaders have promised to tackle school safety this session, and lawmakers are expected to push bills that would beef up mental health screening programs and make it easier to arm teachers.

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Medicaid, opioids and abortion: Health care issues to expect this Texas legislative session

by Marissa Evans

Amid uncertainty about the federal health law, state legislators will tackle a variety of issues during the session, from abortion to mental health to opioids to funding for Medicaid.

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