The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
In this week's Newsreel: The Supreme Court heard arguments in a voting rights case that could have a big impact on Texas, Republican legislators side with Gov. Rick Perry on Medicaid expansion, and voters will decide on Saturday who will represent Senate District 6. Full Story
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News that the federal government has negotiated with Arkansas to allow that state to use billions of dollars in Medicaid funds to buy private health insurance for the state's poorest residents has some Texas Republicans intrigued. Full Story
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Republican legislators have proposed adding $100 million to a state-run primary care program specifically for women’s health services, which could avert a political fight over subsidizing specialty family planning clinics. Full Story
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State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, on Thursday filed the latest in a slew of proposals aimed at improving school safety. His bill would provide state funds to train Texas teachers to recognize and respond to mental illnesses. Full Story
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Full video of Emily Ramshaw's 2/27 TribLive conversation about health care with state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown. Full Story
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Proponents and critics weighed in Wednesday on a bill that would allow the sale of raw milk at farmer’s markets and other sites like fairs and flea markets. Full Story
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At Wednesday's TribLive conversation, state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, talked to Emily Ramshaw about the state's role in providing access to preventative health care for women. Full Story
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At Wednesday's TribLive conversation, state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, told Emily Ramshaw they back Gov. Rick Perry's refusal to expand Medicaid. Full Story
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Two key Republicans legislators — both of them doctors — say they're sticking with Gov. Rick Perry’s position that Texas will reject the Medicaid expansion provision of federal health reform. Full Story
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The Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday considered legislation to tighten abortion restrictions. Full Story
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Ambulance drivers, nurses and trauma surgeons lobbied lawmakers on Tuesday to allocate more funds to emergency services. Full Story
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UPDATED: Looking to save Texas millions of Medicaid dollars, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard four hours of testimony on a proposed redesign of long-term care services for disabled Texans. Full Story
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Texas Medicaid is rife with problems and expanding it under the federal Affordable Care Act would just make things worse. The state should design its own health care model that would control costs and improve outcomes for patients. Full Story
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Medicaid in Texas should be expanded only after the program is tailored to Texas, reimbursement rates for providers are raised, and patients are responsible for co-pays and deductibles. Full Story
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The oversight board for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has decided to move forward on contract negotiations for $183 million in approved grants that have been stalled by a moratorium. Full Story
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In this edition of the Newsreel: The Texas budget battle is finally under way (quietly), Medicaid expansion may be taking shape and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst tells the regents of the University of Texas System to lay off the administration at UT-Austin. Full Story
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Expanding the state's Medicaid program under the federal health care law makes fiscal sense to some politicians for whom it doesn't make political sense. Full Story
With little debate on Thursday, House lawmakers passed House Bill 10, an emergency supplemental appropriations bill that needs to get to Gov. Rick Perry's desk by next month to avoid bills owed to medical workers going unpaid. Full Story
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Texas has a long and unhappy history when it comes to mental health care. From the days of state-run asylums to underfunded local mental health services, those who have mental illness have faced daunting challenges finding care. Full Story
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If the pressure to expand Medicaid is getting to Gov. Rick Perry — now seven Republican governors, including his friend Rick Scott in Florida, support accepting federal dollars to cover poor adults — he’s not letting on. Full Story
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