The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
UPDATED: With the prospect of Medicaid expansion on life support, protesters gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday to urge state leadership to expand coverage to poor adults, and state Democrats announced that they’re still searching for a legislative vehicle to expand coverage. Full Story
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UPDATED: The Supreme Court’s ruling that penalties under the Affordable Care Act qualify as taxes has opened the door to another constitutional challenge, Houston physician and Republican donor Steve Hotze said Tuesday. And he's filing suit. Full Story
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Small cigarette manufacturers would face new state fees on their sales under a measure that passed the Texas House in a preliminary vote on Monday — a big win for Big Tobacco. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. David Warner of the LBJ School of Public Affairs talked about the escalating cost of health care with Michelle Berger, president of the Travis County Medical Society; Jesus Garza, president and CEO of the Seton Healthcare Family; Dan McCoy, chief medical officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas; and Tom Suehs, former executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services. Full Story
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Abortion is usually a contentious issue in the Texas Legislature, but this session, lawmakers have had relatively few public debates on it. Use this Tribune interactive to track the progress of bills related to abortion. Full Story
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The political fireworks that accompanied lawmakers’ 2011 fight over women’s health care and abortion has been replaced with some semblance of concession, as legislators work quietly to restore financing. Full Story
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The marginalization of Planned Parenthood probably makes the discussion of women’s health care less contentious — among Republicans, anyway. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, Emily Ramshaw talked about the state of women's health in Texas with state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, and Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola; Amy Hagstrom Miller of Whole Woman's Health; and Joe Potter of UT-Austin's Population Research Center. Full Story
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UPDATED: Officials from more than a dozen hospital systems will gather at the Capitol with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Friday to try to iron out a solution to how they are reimbursed for uncompensated care. Full Story
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UPDATED: The Health and Human Services Commission received approval on Wednesday to raise the Medicaid premiums that go to managed care companies. Full Story
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State Rep. Jim Keffer, who is sponsoring legislation that would overhaul CPRIT, told a House committee Wednesday that “there was never anybody feathering their nest” with funds from the cancer research institute. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, Becca Aaronson talked about federal health reform with state Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, John Davidson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Anne Dunkelberg of the Center for Public Policy Priorities and former deputy comptroller Billy Hamilton. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, I talked with Kyle Janek, the executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services, about the prospects for leveraging federal dollars to reduce the number of uninsured Texans. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on higher education at the University of Texas at Austin, state Reps. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, and John Zerwas, R-Simonton, talked about Medicaid, mental health and more. Full Story
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The Texas Association of Businesses — a heavyweight in conservative lobbying circles — has endorsed state Rep. John Zerwas’ proposal to negotiate with the federal government to find a palatable way to expand health insurance coverage. Full Story
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Texas’ executive health commissioner, Kyle Janek, said Thursday that negotiations between the federal government and the Health and Human Services Commission on whether to expand Medicaid are at a standstill because he's waiting on the Legislature. Full Story
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Despite opposition from conservative Republicans, the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday advanced a proposal that would reform Medicaid by allowing the state to request a block grant from the federal government and expand coverage to low-income Texans. Full Story
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Texas optometrists are lobbying the Legislature for more power to negotiate contracts with health insurance companies, and the measure they are supporting could hit consumers’ wallets, some business advocates say. Full Story
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On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: As Texas lawmakers move to reform the embattled Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, we look at what the agency has accomplished so far. Full Story
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UPDATED: Without debate, the Texas Senate approved a bill by Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, to alter Texas' end-of-life laws. Full Story
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