The Brief: Feb. 21, 2013
Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s about-face on a key component of federal health care reform has turned attention toward Texas and Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
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![The Texas Tribune Festival 2012 Opening Session: A Conversation with Gov. Rick Perry and Evan Smith, Sept. 21, 2012.]()
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Interfaith Groups Rally for Medicaid Expansion
Despite Gov. Rick Perry's unwavering position, interfaith groups and Democratic state legislators rallied on the Capitol steps on Wednesday in support of expanding Medicaid to impoverished adults, as directed by federal health reform. Full Story
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![Interfaith groups from across Texas and Democratic state legislators rally in support of Medicaid expansion during a press conference held outside of the Capitol in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Guest Column: Why We Should Improve and Expand Medicaid
Expanding Medicaid now will bring federal dollars back to Texas, ease the health care burden on local taxpayers, and provide regular medical care for thousands of people who aren't insured now. Full Story
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House Might Restore Some Education Cuts to Current Budget
Members of the Texas House are in talks to add some money to public education in the current two-year budget. The Texas Legislature cut $5.4 billion from education last session. Full Story
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![Rep. Jim Pitts R-Waxahachie, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, listens to Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer D-San Antonio on February 11th, 2013]()
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Updated: Dallas County Urges Texas to Expand Medicaid
Dallas County officials on Tuesday plan to adopt a resolution to support extending Medicaid benefits to impoverished adults under the Affordable Care Act. Advocates for expansion hope it's the first of many. Full Story
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Health Care Trade Groups Lend Their Support to Medicaid Expansion
Outside of the Capitol, some momentum for Medicaid expansion is building with the state's two largest health care trade associations announcing their support for extending coverage to low-income adults. Full Story
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Medicaid Fraud Recovery Tops $1 Billion
The Texas attorney general's office is touting a new state record — $1 billion in Medicaid fraud recoveries over the last decade. Full Story
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Medicaid Expansion in Spotlight as Session Heats Up
Will Texas expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act? That’s the $100 billion question this session at the Capitol, where supporters of federal health care reform may be gaining traction. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman/The Texas Tribune -
Updated: Senate Finance Grills Doctor on Medicaid Fraud Allegations
A lead senator on the Senate Finance Committee had tough questions about allegations of Medicaid fraud and whether dental clincs are hurting Texas children. Full Story
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TribLive: Williams and Pitts on Medicaid
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, discussed what the state should do about its exploding Medicaid obligations. Full Story
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Report: State Should Put Politics Aside, Expand Medicaid
Texas' Republican leadership is adamant that Texas will not expand Medicaid, a major tenet of federal health reform. A report by the state's former deputy comptroller and former chief revenue estimator suggests that would be short-sighted. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Two from Two Years Ago: Medicaid and Women's Health
Debates on Texas Medicaid financing and the Texas Women’s Health Program will dominate the health care arena in the coming weeks. Full Story
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Sarah Weddington: The TT Interview
On the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade — the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized abortion — the lawyer who successfully argued the case talks with the Tribune about women’s rights and recent anti-abortion legislation Full Story
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Interactive: Are There Enough Women's Health Program Providers?
This interactive map shows the locations of Planned Parenthood clinics excluded from the new Texas Women's Health Program, overlaid with the non-Planned Parenthood providers that have agreed to treat state-subsidized patients in those areas. Full Story
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Struggling Pharmacy Will Shut Its Doors
A South Texas pharmacy featured in a June Tribune article on independent pharmacists struggling to adapt to lower Medicaid reimbursement rates will shut its doors on Friday. Full Story
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Democrats Raise Questions About Texas WHP Provider List
Democratic legislators are questioning whether the Texas Women’s Health Program has an adequate network of health care providers in light of a state agency’s decision to pull the list of providers from a state website. Full Story
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![Birth control at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Dewhurst, Nelson Tout Proposals to Curb Medicaid Costs
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson on Wednesday discussed new Senate proposals that target Medicaid spending. The plans would institute quality-based payment reforms for long-term care services and measures to catch fraud and abuse. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, outline proposals to reduce Medicaid spending in Texas at a press conference on Jan. 16, 2013.]()
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Batheja on growing calls for infrastructure spending, Dehn and Rocha report on voters’ legislative wishes, Murphy counts noses in the new Legislature, KUT’s Philpott sniffs out a push for tax relief, M. Smith tracks House Speaker Joe Straus after his re-election, Kalifa’s lovely time-lapse look at the Legislature’s first day, Aaronson on the Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on hopes for immigration reform, Grissom on the tribulations of Kerry Max Cook, Hamilton looks into a college curriculum battle, and E. Smith’s TribLive interview with Michael Williams: The best of our best for the week of Jan. 7, 2013. Full Story
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Updated: Planned Parenthood Loses Bid for Texas WHP Injunction
Travis County District Judge Stephen Yelenosky on Friday refused to grant Planned Parenthood’s request for a temporary injunction to be included in the Texas Women’s Health Program. Full Story
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![Nicole Griffis, nurse practitioner, consults with a patient at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Interactive: Weighing Medicaid Expansion
As they contemplate whether to expand Medicaid, Texas lawmakers will weigh factors including enrollment growth, costs and savings, and the effects on the rate of insured. This interactive breaks down the numbers connected to those factors. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman / Becca Aaronson