The latest Medicaid news from The Texas Tribune.
The House's interim charges are out, starting with instructions to everyone to consider ways to improve the state's manufacturing capability and increase the "transparency, accountability, and efficiency" in state government. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus has released the interim charges that will direct the work of the lower chamber's legislative committees for the next 11 months — and lawmakers will be busy. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry "hates" cervical cancer, which is why he tried to make the HPV vaccine mandatory. Yet he signed a budget that defunds Planned Parenthood, which provides four times more cervical cancer screenings in Texas than abortions. Full Story
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The state's family planning reductions hit the Planned Parenthood Association of Hidalgo County especially hard. In September, the association shut down four of its eight health clinics and laid off half of its staff. Anti-abortion advocates argue the state should not "subsidize the abortion industry." The Trib's Thanh Tan and Justin Dehn report from Hidalgo County. Full Story
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Some independent pharmacies may have to lay off workers and cut services because of looming lower dispensing fees. Beginning in March, a new managed-care plan will reduce the amount pharmacies receive for Medicaid prescriptions. Full Story
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As the U.S. grapples with rising health care costs and a system that rewards doctors and hospitals for how sick their patients get, not how healthy they become, Texas providers are experimenting with new payment and care delivery models. Full Story
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Use our interactive to understand the budget hole federal lawmakers have dug by not updating the Medicare funding formula, Texas physicians’ response to the problem, and the cost of varied proposals to fix it. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry headed into his third Republican presidential debate with a lot to prove. He left with a mixed bag. Full Story
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One 2012 presidential candidate wanted to sell a government-run lottery to finance a health insurance program. He wanted to deregulate college tuition, and then freeze it. He proposed leaving the state's Rainy Day Fund alone — or, sending the money back to taxpayers. Hint: He's from Texas. Another hint: He's not Ron Paul. Full Story
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El Paso's Democratic state representative on the media's portrayal of her hometown, why the grassroots is key to making gains for her party, and why she thinks immigration legislation will hurt Gov. Rick Perry on the campaign trail. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry took shots from all directions Wednesday in his first nationally televised debate as his opponents unloaded on the presidential front-runner again and again, seeking relevance in a line of questioning that largely centered on Perry. Full Story
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DAY 31 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Nursing homes were spared the draconian cuts proposed by lawmakers at the beginning of the 2011 session. Still, despite growing caseloads and rising medical costs, they move forward with less state and federal support. Full Story
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DAY 27 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Lawmakers didn't cut spending for the Texas HIV Medication Program, but it remains nearly $20 million short. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry routinely attacks federal health care reform, but he has so far revealed little on the presidential campaign trail about what his own “Perrycare” could look like — or how much changing American health care will figure into his candidacy. Full Story
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DAY 22 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Lawmakers slash funding for residency programs in Texas, making it even more difficult for the state to meet its growing physician shortage. Full Story
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Rick Perry came to press the flesh with voters in Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday — but he ran instead into a vociferous protest of his views on Social Security and Medicare outside a local cafe. It wasn't much better inside. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry likes to rail against the Obama administration's "failed" federal stimulus program, but he and state lawmakers have more than $17 billion in fed-stim dollars to thank for the last two balanced Texas budgets. Full Story
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DAY 15 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: The Department of State Health Services expects about 180,000 Texas men and women will lose access to birth control and cancer screenings. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry is scoring some endorsements from GOP activists and officeholders, but support for Perry among his fellow Texas Republicans isn't unanimous. The Democrats, as you might expect, are vociferously in opposition. Full Story
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Saddle up, buckaroos and buckarettes. We're going on our second presidential ride in 12 years. It doesn't matter who your candidate is or what your politics are, the presence of a Texas governor on a national ticket means some changes around here. Full Story
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