In continuation of a long-term effort, Democratic Sen. Nathan Johnson is again advocating for the expansion of Texas Medicaid during this year’s legislative session. We caught up with the senator at our North Texas conference last fall. In light of continually increasing public support for expansion, Johnson introduced three different bills to do so this … Read more
Richard Scotch, PhD, is a professor of sociology, public policy and political economy at the University of Texas at Dallas. For him, a pressing issue in state health policy is improving the efficiency and equity of Texas’s healthcare system. Ever-increasing “political baggage,” however, makes this a challenge, he said. Scotch told us about some of … Read more
John Burruss, MD, is the CEO of Metrocare Services, a provider in Texas serving those with mental disabilities. At the 2022 North Texas State of Reform Health Policy Conference last fall, Burruss sat down with us to discuss what he’s watching in the state’s healthcare space. He discussed the positive impact that community behavioral health … Read more
Texas Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson is continuing to advocate for progressive healthcare reforms including Medicaid expansion, despite continued opposition to the effort from the Republican majority in the state legislature. She again filed a bill in the legislature this year to establish the “Live Well Texas” program to expand Medicaid, which hasn’t yet received a … Read more
In this edition of our “What They’re Watching” series, we hear from Joyce Tapley, who serves as CEO of Foremost Family Health Centers. As a federally qualified health center, Tapley said her organization’s biggest need is obtaining additional funding to continue supporting the safety net population. Namely, she recommends federal funding for increasing the reach … Read more
Protect Texas Fragile Kids advocates for children with complex needs and disabilities at the policy level, ensuring that this historically marginalized population has a voice in conversations around health policy. In this edition of our “What They’re Watching” video series, we heard from Executive Director Hannah Mehta at last year’s North Texas State of Reform … Read more
In this edition of “What They’re Watching,” Parkland Health and Hospital System CEO Fred Cerise, MD, said he is laser-focused on improving healthcare affordability. At last year’s North Texas State of Reform Health Policy Conference—for which he was a keynote speaker—Cerise told us that a better coordination of healthcare services is a critical part of … Read more
In this edition of “What They’re Watching,” Claudia Tucker, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Teladoc Health—an organization that focuses on increasing telemedicine to improve whole-person care—discusses her focus on health equity and how she wants to see the commercial-level telehealth policy changes also be applied to Medicaid-covered telehealth services. She explains that it … Read more
This month’s newsletter includes an update on the litigation between the Texas Medical Association and the federal government over the rulemaking for medical bill dispute resolution, insight about effective ways to use new opioid settlement money coming to Texas, and a report showing the significant economic impact of hospitals in North Texas. Thanks for reading! … Read more
Parkland Health system, in partnership with DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas (DHA), launched 2 community hubs in Dallas earlier this month that provide various on-site, in-person services for public housing residents. The hubs are located at Park Manor and Buckeye Commons. Residents can receive health screenings, virtual medical visits, community resources, and … Read more