The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
As part of his continuing exploration of how the effort to rewrite health care policy is playing in Texas, KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports on one Austin doctor who says that if it weren’t for his ability to opt out of the insurance system, he might have retired many years ago. Full Story
Down on the border, there are more uninsured people, fewer primary care physicians, and higher rates of certain chronic illnesses. As part of his continuing exploration of the effort to rewrite health care policy, KUT's Nathan Bernier talked to a doctor in Eagle Pass. Full Story
Three strategies can move Texas in the right direction, health-wise: a statewide indoor smoking ban, statewide universal K-12 coordinated school health programs, and the serious consideration of all available options to reduce the number of uninsured Texans. Full Story
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Some physicians in undeserved areas of Texas worry that the doctor shortage is not being addressed in the health care reform debate. As part of his continuing exploration of the effort to rewrite health care policy, KUT's Nathan Bernier talked to an East Austin doctor who's doing his best to serve as many patients as possible. Full Story
Members of Congress are working to reconcile two massive health care bills that Texas doctors say will affect their practices and their patients. As part of his continuing exploration of how the effort to rewrite health care policy is playing here, KUT's Nathan Bernier talked to an eye doctor in North Austin. Full Story
Why the 85 percent of Texans in and near urban areas should be concerned about the health care needs of the 15 percent who don't. Full Story
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As Congress wrestles with the fine print of massive health care legislation, doctors in Texas say both their practices and their patients will be affected. Nathan Bernier reports for KUT News from Athens, about three hours northeast of Austin, where a doctor reveals the unique challenges of providing care in a small town. Full Story
Rural health care providers in West Texas talk about the unique challenges they face in treating their patients. Full Story
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In rural counties, recruiting doctors is the single biggest health care challenge. Twenty-seven counties have no primary care physicians. Full Story
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It’s no time to be an advocate for rural health care. Rural lawmakers say they're consistently outnumbered and under-represented — and that redistricting will only make matters worse. Full Story
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The state is working to get poor Texans food stamps quicker, but it's not fast enough for many families, and too many children are getting their only hot meal at school, according to Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. Full Story
Emergency medicine doctors say trauma victims must receive care within the “golden hour” to survive. But many rural Texas counties aren’t anywhere near hospitals that can handle complex injuries or illness. Full Story
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Dozens of rural Texas counties have no primary care doctors, no hospitals, no pharmacies. Many Texans live more than an hour from basic medical care. And some border communities have so little health care that U.S. citizens cross over into Mexico to get it. Full Story
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Moises Badillo talks about his struggle to get health care for his profoundly disabled son in a rural community in Van Horn. Full Story
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Roll your own political videos ... interactive travel maps of your federal and state legislators ... scary movies, to keep the kids out of the border's scary drug wars ... puttting dropouts back in class ... rates squeezing families out of home health care ... how many lobby and trade associations do teachers in Texas need? ... enjoying the silence before an expected two-month siege of political advertising ... the dean of Texas political writers gets shut out of the gubernatorial debates ... and we have an interactive database of the state's best and worst public schools. The best of our best for a short news week, from December 19 to 26, 2009. Full Story
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We added more people this year than any other state — more than Florida, Arizona, California, Nevada and Colorado combined. Full Story
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The Department of State Health Services will destroy all blood samples taken from infants before May 27, 2009 to settle a lawsuit over the state's newborn screening program. Full Story
Families of disabled Texans fear an increase in home nursing rates could force them to cut services for their loved ones. Full Story
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Stiles and Thevenot collaborate on the salaries paid to superintendents, and even compare them on price per student… Ramsey’s look at redistricting and next year’s elections… Aguilar’s report on jails, brought to you by the federal agency that’s in the ag business… Rapoport’s peek at the power behind Texas pre-kindergarten programs… Smith’s conversation with Dan Patrick, in three parts… Grissom’s narrative on a circular immigration and deportation route financed by two governments… Ramshaw finds doctors agreeing on public policy and split on strategy and tactics… Hu’s latest Stump Interrupted puts the camera on Farouk Shami… Hamilton’s story on two retired cops who are taking on cargo theft in Texas… And Kreighbaum and Stiles pop open the itineraries of your folks in Congress. The best of our best from December 12 to 18, 2009. Full Story
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Medical malpractice liability caps Texas lawmakers installed in 2003 have failed to improve the state's health care system, according to a Public Citizen report released today. Full Story