The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
Dozens of Texas counties lack even a single physician, and there are even more without psychiatrists. But one state lawmaker is trying to fix that by attracting more mental health care workers to rural Texas towns. Full Story
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A new whistleblower case accuses a Texas medical consulting firm and more than two dozen health plans for the elderly of ripping off Medicare. Full Story
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Relatives of children with disabilities and therapy providers are suing the Health and Human Services Commission, weeks before the agency is scheduled to slash payments to a therapy program for the poor. Full Story
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Nearly two years before the murder of six Houston siblings, a state district judge denied a request by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to keep them in foster care, according to a memo sent to members of the Legislature on Tuesday. Full Story
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A new law will allow more consumers to challenge surprise medical bills they get from out-of-network doctors, but only if the charge is more than $500. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Backing up two Texas religious universities, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court Monday asking it to take up a lawsuit against the federal government over contraceptive coverage required under the Affordable Care Act. Full Story
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The six children found murdered along with two adults in Houston over the weekend were no strangers to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which investigated at least four complaints about their care dating back 2011, and temporarily took the children into foster care two years later. Full Story
Months after he was put on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's contracting procedures, Cody Cazares has left the agency. Full Story
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Poor, uninsured women in Texas will no longer be able to obtain government-subsidized breast and cervical cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood clinics starting Sept. 1. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Before the state finalizes a decision next week that would slash payments for a therapy program for the poor, speech and physical therapists are fighting back, saying the impending budget cuts will harm thousands of children. Full Story
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After being accused of corruption, inefficiency and incompetence, the state health agency's Office of Inspector General is trying to get back on track, and hopes a new law will clarify and streamline its fraud investigations. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Texans who purchased insurance under Obamacare will soon have a special label on their insurance cards. Use our interactive map to see where Texans are purchasing these plans. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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At the urging of state leaders, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson announced Wednesday she would launch a criminal investigation of a Houston Planned Parenthood clinic. Full Story
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An anti-abortion group released an undercover video Tuesday showing a Planned Parenthood executive at a Houston clinic discussing how the group recoups costs for providing organs from aborted fetuses for medical research. Full Story
In this week's edition of the Trib+Health newsletter: Health care acquisitions are on the rise, the Sandra Bland case highlights gaps in training to handle suicidal inmates and an interview with Bethanie Van Horne of UTHealth's Children's Learning Institute. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Evan talks with Ross, Patrick and Morgan about the politics of the Planned Parenthood videos and this week's Senate Health and Human Service Committee hearing, the latest on Attorney General Ken Paxton and that Collin County grand jury, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's beef with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton confirmed on Wednesday that a video obtained by his office as part of its investigation into Planned Parenthood practices is “consistent” with other undercover videos released by an anti-abortion group. Full Story
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A Texas Senate panel will meet Wednesday to scrutinize Planned Parenthood practices in the aftermath of the release of undercover videos of the abortion provider's executives discussing fetal tissue donation. Full Story
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Legislators on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee are being offered the chance to view a video obtained by the Texas attorney general's office as part of its inquiry into Planned Parenthood's practices regarding fetal tissue donation. Full Story
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The anti-abortion group behind two undercover videos of Planned Parenthood executives discussing fetal tissue donation visited one of the organization’s clinics in Houston, Planned Parenthood officials said. Full Story