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Alexa Ura reported for The Texas Tribune from 2013 to 2023. She covered the complex dynamics of race, ethnicity, wealth, poverty and power and how they are shaping the future of Texas and Texans, in the long and short term. Alexa started at the Tribune as a reporting intern before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin and joining the staff full time. Originally from Laredo on the Texas-Mexico border, she is a native Spanish speaker and is based in Austin.
Dozens of Texas hospitals that receive Medicare dollars will likely be penalized for their rates of complications and infections during inpatient stays. Use our interactive map to see those hospitals and their ratings. Full Story
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As the state's top elected officials debate how to halt a surge of immigrants across the border, health officials and volunteer doctors are voicing concerns over what they say is the more serious challenge: a looming medical crisis. Full Story
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Despite the fact that Texas didn't expand its Medicaid program to cover poor adults, low-income parents are increasingly obtaining the coverage through an unlikely route — the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Full Story
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Nearly two weeks after the Republican Party of Texas adopted its 2014 platform, the party has released it in full. Delegates approved the platform during the state GOP convention in Fort Worth. Full Story
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Texans who received financial assistance to purchase health coverage through the federal insurance exchange are paying less in monthly premiums than individuals in most other states using that online marketplace. Full Story
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More doctors and medical facilities are working to reduce interactions between physicians and pharmaceutical representatives, and they have some support from the pharmaceutical industry. Full Story
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After a state Senate committee hearing Thursday in which veterans and others talked about excessive wait times at VA clinics, lawmakers said a plan expanding the Texas Veterans Commission's "strike force" was moving forward. Full Story
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Reports that put several Texas facilities for veterans on the worst lists for wait times will fuel a state Senate hearing this week, as lawmakers look for ways to reduce wait times and advocate for Texas veterans who need health care. Full Story
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UPDATED: Two Texas abortion doctors who filed a lawsuit against a Dallas hospital after losing their admitting privileges have settled their case with the hospital, which will reinstate their privileges. Full Story
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Political analysts say that state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte's prospects in her lieutenant governor race rely largely on a significant turnout from Hispanic voters in the general election. Could her last name impact her ability to motivate some of those voters? Full Story
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