This edition of “5 Things We’re Watching” in Texas includes coverage of HHSC’s work to prepare for Medicaid redeterminations, an update on the Texas Medical Association’s ongoing litigation against the federal government over how to resolve disputed medical claims, and a conversation with Texas Association of Health Plans’ Jamie Dudensing about the top-of-mind priorities for … Read more

Following a rally at the Capitol by maternal health advocates this week, members of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC) are calling on state leaders to address maternal health equity in the upcoming legislative session.     Nakeenya Wilson, who sits on the review committee at the sole community advocate, is calling … Read more

Recent data from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey show that 84% of low-income children who qualified for Medicaid in 2021 in Utah were not enrolled. That is the highest rate in the country among the 36 states that have expanded Medicaid. It’s also higher than Wyoming, which is a non-expansion state with more … Read more

Texas had the nation’s highest uninsured rate in 2021, with 18% compared to the national average of 8.6%, according to the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS).      Data released last week showed that nearly 12% of children and a quarter of adults aged 19-64 (24.3%) in Texas were uninsured in 2021. The … Read more

The Texas House Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety held a public hearing on Thursday to consider measures addressing the needs of youth in the state, specifically ways to improve programs and systems around child protective services, mental health services, educational institutions, and the juvenile court system.     The hearing was held just … Read more

Rep. Erin Zwiener (D – Driftwood) has been representing Texas’s 45th Legislative District since 2019. She currently sits on the House Public Health, Administration, and Appropriation Committees. In this Q&A, Rep. Zwiener discusses how she will prioritize Medicaid expansion, expanding access to medical cannabis for non-terminal patients, and ensuring the state’s renal care facilities are … Read more

According to Joan Alker, executive director and co-founder of Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families, the Biden administration’s Build Back Better legislation presents a promising opportunity to help insure Texans who fall into the Medicaid coverage gap.     A specific provision in the Build Back Better Act would temporarily close the coverage gap for … Read more