The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
Some 78% of the 1,725,575 doses already shipped to providers have been used, including second doses, Gov. Greg Abbott said, and Texas is set to receive 333,650 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Full Story
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The state's health commission gave Planned Parenthood's Medicaid patients until Feb. 3 to find new doctors. Experts say there are limited places low-income patients can go, in part because Texas already has a shortage of doctors who accept Medicaid due to the state’s low payment rates. Full Story
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The Austin-based group founded by anti-vaccine activist Del Bigtree regularly posts information questioning the safety of the coronavirus vaccines. Doctors and scientists say both the Moderna and the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Full Story
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Hospitals in the Abilene, Bryan-College Station and Laredo areas have run out of intensive care unit beds. State health officials are “greatly concerned” about high numbers of hospitalized people throughout Texas. Full Story
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A federal program known as the 1115 waiver helps pay for the costs of providing health care to people who are uninsured. Advocates for Medicaid expansion say it fills gaps in care that are caused by Texas’ refusal to expand coverage. Full Story
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State Sen. Charles Schwertner gave up serving as chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services in 2019. This year, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick named him chair of the Committee on Administration. Full Story
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State Rep. Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont, told The Texas Tribune he tested positive Thursday — three days after lawmakers gaveled in for this year’s legislative session Full Story
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The milestone comes as intensive care beds are dwindling across the state and as experts predict daily coronavirus cases and hospitalizations will worsen following an influx of holiday season gatherings. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks politics, policy, priorities and the pandemic with Dade Phelan, the presumptive speaker of the Texas House. Full Story
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Twenty-eight coronavirus vaccination hubs will receive most of the state's next shipment of COVID-19 vaccines this week, with 158,825 doses shipping to providers able to manage large-scale efforts as more doses arrive in the state. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature is more bipartisan than Congress, historically speaking. But a unique set of issues to address and an atmosphere of division emanating from Washington, D.C., could test that in the session that starts Tuesday. Full Story
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State health officials said Sunday that 28 hubs will be getting 158,825 doses this week. Full Story
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Steve Johnson, 75, says trying to get his first COVID-19 vaccine dose in Wise County highlighted the shortcomings of the distribution plan. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story
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In the state's largest metropolitan areas, vaccine distribution centers like hospitals and pharmacies are more common in white, affluent neighborhoods. Full Story
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The flagship university in Austin is urging students to space out their return to campus for spring semester to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as cases in Travis County reach record highs. Full Story
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More than 8 million Texans qualify to receive COVID-19 vaccines, but fewer than 2 million doses have shipped. Providers are facing clogged phone lines, crashing websites and tough decisions about who will get the first shots. Full Story
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Those lucky enough to be near another provider with shots available are relying on neighborly generosity — encouraged but not mandated by the state — to innoculate front-line workers while they wait. Full Story
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The vaccine rollout in Texas is bumpier than it ought to be, especially because the federal and state governments in charge of distributing vaccines have known for months that they’d be doing this as soon as the drugs were developed. Full Story
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The state has reported at least 28,545 fatalities tied to the virus, available intensive care unit beds are at a low and health experts say Texans can’t vaccinate their way out of the current surge. Full Story
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Some doses will also go to smaller providers, while hubs will set up registration phone numbers and websites to streamline distribution, according to the state health agency. Full Story
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