The latest Health And Human Services Commission news from The Texas Tribune.
In one of his first moves as governor, Greg Abbott has tapped Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general who oversaw the reconstruction of Iraq, to be the chief watchdog at the state's embattled health agency. Full Story
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UPDATED: Gov.-elect Greg Abbott announced Wednesday the creation of an independent "strike force" to review the state's largest health agency, specifically how it awards contracts to private vendors. Full Story
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With the 84th Legislature starting next week and new faces in every statewide office, it feels like a "Brand New Day" in and around the Capitol, so that's how we started this week's playlist off of the week's news. Full Story
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The best of our best content from Jan. 5 to 9, 2015. Full Story
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The embattled agency on Friday promised reforms, after confirming a Tribune finding that an employee with ties to Commissioner Kyle Janek and ousted chief counsel Jack Stick has been pursuing his MBA at taxpayers' expense. Full Story
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One of three Texas Health and Human Services Commission employees put on paid administrative leave amid a probe into the agency’s contracting procedures is facing a 50 percent cut to his salary. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry has championed private-market health care solutions and criticized public programs like Medicaid for being inefficient. Alexa Ura and Edgar Walters write about that and other notable health care issues that have come up during Perry's tenure. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry on Friday fired HHSC Inspector General Doug Wilson as fallout widened from the selection of a relatively unknown company for a $110 million Medicaid fraud software contract. Full Story
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State Sen. John Whitmire asked the state's public integrity unit on Thursday to investigate deals between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and 21 Century Technologies. Full Story
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The Health and Human Services Commission has canceled a second contract involving Jack Stick, who resigned as the agency's top lawyer amid concerns over a $110 million contract that was not competitively bid. Full Story
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A bill filed Monday could create a financial incentive for students to become mental health care providers. Senate Bill 239 would create a loan reimbursement program for certain licensed mental health workers who assist the underserved. Full Story
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Three Texas breweries filed a lawsuit against the state for allegedly "stifling the craft beer renaissance," so we begin this week's news-inspired playlist with "Tears Over Beers" by Modern Baseball. Full Story
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With the endorsement Wednesday of the Sunset Advisory Commission, legislators are set to move forward with a consolidation of the state's five health agencies into a single health commission with seven divisions. Full Story
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In a new report, the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response called for the establishment of a treatment facility specifically for children, among other recommendations. Full Story
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Less than a month after state leaders announced $1 million in state-matching funds to develop coordinated veterans’ mental health programs, local and regional agencies are primed to learn the ins and outs of the application process. Full Story
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The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services released a series of recommendations late Monday for the 2015 legislative session. Full Story
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Texas’ top health official told lawmakers Wednesday that they should combine the state's five health departments into one “mega-agency.” Full Story
Saying Wednesday that low-income Texas women will no longer wonder how to find out about state-provided health services, Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek unveiled a new information website. Full Story
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Next session, lawmakers will have 29 billion reasons to reconsider Medicaid expansion. That's how many federal dollars the Obama administration could hold hostage in exchange for some solution for 1 million uninsured Texans. Full Story
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A provision of the Texas abortion law that closed all but eight abortion facilities in the state almost two weeks ago was put on hold Tuesday by the U.S. Supreme Court. Full Story
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