The latest Department of State Health Services news from The Texas Tribune.
A glitch in the federal health reform bill that would make many middle-class Americans eligible for Medicaid could cost Texas nearly $90 million a year by 2017, according to a state analysis. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/medicaid-pills.png)
The Texas Alliance For Life had a photographer in the House gallery this morning shooting empty seats on the floor —checking for lawmakers who ducked the vote on SB 7, a health bill that has anti-abortion amendments. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexAllianceLife.jpg)
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn demanded today that President Barack Obama take "concrete steps" to address Medicare's funding crisis. By not doing so, Cornyn said, Obama is "violating federal law." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/John_Cornyn800x530.png)
This session we have seen an all out assault on women's health driven by the erroneous assumption that family planning is synonymous with abortion. Full Story
The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20110524-_CBM4523-Edit.jpg)
At a time when we are scouring the budget and questioning every expenditure, when funding for essential services like public education must be reduced, it is time to stop subsidizing abortion providers under the guise of "family planning." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/hughes_bryan.jpg)
Eliminating funds for family planning services is not a responsible or compassionate choice. It will shift the burden of care to our already overloaded local hospitals and leave the women who depend on these services with few options. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Howard_Donna.jpg)
House lawmakers have given the first OK to a key piece of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's health reform plan, after efforts to turn the bill into a health care Christmas tree fell short. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/_KCA9550_1.jpg)
State lawmakers have fired back against a Federal Trade Commission letter suggesting Senate Bill 8 — a key piece of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's health reform push — violates antitrust laws. The measure is expected to come up for a vote in the House on Tuesday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Hospital-Money-Budget-Funding.jpg)
State health officials can no longer use infant blood samples for non-approved purposes without parental consent, under a measure Senate lawmakers approved today. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/030810babyfoot.jpg)
For the third session in a row, legislation covering end-of-life care in Texas appears, well, dead. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Prolife-End-of-Life-Care-Split.jpg)
The residency programs that train Texas family physicians will take a big hit under the education budget agreement lawmakers unveiled today. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/MedSchoolFundingCuts4.jpg)
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. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/hospital-app-split.jpg)
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. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-IndianDoctors-002.JPG)
Facing an estimated 28 percent reduction in funds to care for medically fragile children, in-home nursing companies say they could be forced to shut their doors, or else dramatically slash what they pay nurses. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/At-Home-Nurse-Budget-Cuts.jpg)
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. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PP_Still.jpg)
Across the nation, U.S. House Republicans are getting an earful from their constituents about a GOP budget proposal to overhaul federal Medicare. But that message hasn’t made its way to Texas, where state lawmakers are still angling to take control of the program. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/MedicareHealthCareCompact.jpg)
Advocates for shuttering Texas’ institutions for the disabled thought they had the numbers on their side: a budget crisis so severe that lawmakers would have to close some state-supported living centers. With less than a month left in the session, their hopes are largely dashed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/AustinStateSchool_wideroom.jpg)
Every 10 minutes a teen in Texas gets pregnant, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. With groups observing the 10th Annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy today, Gretch Sanders of KUT News reports on the search for ways to bring that rate down. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Pregnancy_YoungWoman.jpg)
The House has tentatively voted to let rural, critical-access hospitals in counties with populations of 50,000 or less hire doctors — partially lifting a long-standing ban on hospitals directly employing physicians. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Hospital-Scene.jpg)