Texas Has High Stakes in Lawsuit Over Health Law
Texas and the 33 other states that refused to set up their own insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act are especially vulnerable to an impending U.S. Supreme Court decision. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/SupremeCourt-HealthCare.jpg)
-
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Eddie Codel -
The Brief: Feb. 10, 2015
A handful of former HHSC employees are suing for wrongful termination in the aftermath of revelations over the awarding of a no-bid Medicaid fraud contract. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/12/18/jack_and_Irene_copy.jpg)
![Irene Williams, CEO of 21CT, and Jack Stick, a top attorney at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/Erich Schlegel -
The Brief: Feb. 9, 2015
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz talked presidential politics and foreign policy in a pair of appearances on Sunday morning talk shows. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/12/18/BestOf-2014-017.jpg)
![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during the 2014 RedState Gathering at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in Fort Worth on Aug. 8, 2014.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill -
Texas Republican Calls for Limiting Vaccine Exemptions
State Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, said Friday he will propose legislation to eliminate "conscientious exemptions" because of the re-emergence of diseases like measles attributed to growing numbers of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/02/14/Villalba.jpg)
![Rep. Jason Villalba R-Dallas, files the Protection of Texas Children Act on February 6th, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: Feb. 6, 2015
Rick Perry had some choice words in an interview Thursday with the Tribune and the Washington Post on what separates him from Ted Cruz. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/23/PerryCruz.jpg)
![Former Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz]()
Credit: Cooper Neill -
See Vaccine Exemptions in Texas by School District
More than 38,000 Texas students — about 0.75 percent of the state's overall school-age population — had nonmedical exemptions to school immunization laws in the 2013-14 school year, according to state data. Search our table to see the totals for your district or private school. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/04/CooperImmunization1258.jpg)
![The Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County in Fort Worth.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill -
Drug Testing for Welfare Benefits Back on the Table
After a few failed legislative attempts, Republican lawmakers are once again working to make drug testing mandatory for some Texans who receive state welfare benefits. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/07/23/D54H8962.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: Feb. 5, 2015
House Speaker Joe Straus leaned toward the familiar in filling open spots at the top of the chamber's top-tier committees. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/04/_KCA8357.jpg)
![State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, in the Texas House of Representatives, Feb. 8, 2011.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senator Talks of "Lost Confidence" in Health Agency Watchdog
At the Senate Health and Human Services Committee's first meeting of the legislative session, Chairman Charles Schwertner shared some tough criticism of the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/02/27/D54H4667.jpg)
![Sen. Charles Schwertner R-Georgetown, at a February Texas Tribune event.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Echoes of Fights Past in Health Consolidation
Twelve years after a major mash-up of state health agencies, the Sunset Commission and several lawmakers say it's time to finish the job and merge the remaining five systems into one. Some veteran Capitol observers say they're feeling déjà vu. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/14/Sunset027Nelson.jpg)
![Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, wraps up the Sunset Advisory Commission hearing on Jan. 14, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: Feb. 4, 2015
The ability of Austin tech firm 21CT to secure a $20 million Medicaid fraud software contract through a no-bid program run by the state's Department of Information Resources drew intense scrutiny from Senate budget writers on Tuesday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/03/TXTChair-CCR001.jpg)
![This is a photo of one of two $2800 chairs ordered by Jack Stick's office when he was deputy inspector general. The chairs which resemble the ones used in the Texas Legislature committee hearing rooms, were discovered after the resignations of Stick, and Doug Wilson, inspector general.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond -
The HHSC-21CT Contract Investigations: How Did It Get to This Point?
A now-canceled deal between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and a software maker is the subject of scrutiny and is also causing greater talk of state contract reforms. Here's a look back at the deal and what led to the current investigations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/02/Contract-high-lower3rd-preview003.jpg)
![Irene Williams, the CEO of 21CT, and Jack Stick, who recently resigned as the top lawyer for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/Erich Schlegel -
Texas Hospitals Explorer Gets an Update
We’ve revamped our Hospitals Explorer, using the most recent Medicare data analyzed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Use our updated tool to learn more about the quality of care available at Texas hospitals that reported Medicare data. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/03/HospitalExplorer.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: Feb. 3, 2015
The state representative at the center of a controversy over treatment of visitors to the Capitol for Texas Muslim Capitol Day last week told the Tribune on Monday that she didn't expect her Facebook post to raise such a ruckus. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/02/UP9A0197.jpg)
![Rep. Molly White R-Belton in her Capitol office on February 2nd, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: Feb. 2, 2015
The weekend saw more lengthy stories on problems in the way the state contracts out services. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DollarsinHand.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
In State Contracting, Failure is an Option
Texas's tendency to privatize state services has led to contracting scandals erupting regularly. But a history of cost overruns or bad performance hardly bars a company from winning future jobs. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/30/TT-Rodunda-Contract-High002.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
The Brief: Jan. 29, 2015
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gave the green light Wednesday on a push for open carry legislation in the Senate, a day after he indicated in a Texas Tribune interview that the votes weren't there for passage. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/21/SenateDebategaggleCMS.jpg)
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, left, with State Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, sponsor of the resolution that changed Senate voting rules on Jan. 21, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate Renews Effort to Keep Funds From Planned Parenthood
Four years after a legislative effort to keep Planned Parenthood from receiving state dollars for health care for low-income women, the Texas Senate is back at it — this time over funding for breast and cervical cancer screenings. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PlannedParenthood.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Jacob Villanueva -
Looking to Be Better Prepared for the Next Public Health Emergency
Lawmakers will consider ways to improve the state’s preparedness for public health emergencies. Dallas County officials identified shortfalls in the system last fall when the country's Ebola case was diagnosed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/27/TT-state-of-mind-ebola.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by WFAA-TV -
State Auditor Sees Weaknesses in Agency Contracting
When it comes to contracting, state agencies struggle with shopping for a vendor and monitoring that vendor's performance, the Texas state auditor's office says in a new report. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasMoneyTree.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman