Healthcare

Texas has the highest uninsured rate of children, adults, and women in the country. Reform Austin is committed to providing in-depth reporting to illuminate the critical issues and challenges Texans are facing in healthcare.
Texas is one of 14 states that refuses to expand Medicaid coverage. Almost 10 years after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Texas still ranks last when it comes to affordability and access.
Additionally, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act could cost 1.73 million people healthcare coverage. Texas is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Texas still ranks among the worst for maternal mortality and low overall for women’s health. One in four Texas women are uninsured. Currently, women can obtain maternity Medicaid coverage until 2 months after childbirth. Advocates have argued that the coverage length is insufficient, and to address the maternal mortality crisis, coverage should be expanded to one year. Though Medicaid expansion would have made the biggest stride in improving women’s health, the policy did not get beyond a committee hearing or House floor vote in the 86th Legislative Session.
Approximately 875,000 Texas children do not have health insurance. From 2016 to 2018, the percentage of uninsured children rose from 10.7 percent to 11.2 percent. In Texas, once a child is approved for Medicaid they are covered for six months. After the six-month period, the state requires parents to file income updates monthly to continue the coverage. If the state determines there is a problem, parents are given 10 days to respond with necessary paperwork. This has led to many children being removed from the Medicaid roles, despite still qualifying for the program.
Reform Austin covers access to healthcare, healthcare quality, mental health, public health programs, and vaccinations. We report on laws the Texas Legislature passes and the effects they have on the healthcare system, as well as the laws that fail. In addition, we report on lawmakers involved to ensure our elected leaders are working for the public good.

U.S. Olympic Athlete Used Her Time In Paris To Get Free Doctor Appointments

An American athlete at the 2024 Olympics has spent her time in Paris making numerous doctor appointments because the healthcare is free in the...

Texas Ranked The Worst State For Children Mental Health Services

Texas ranked as the worst state regarding access to children’s mental health services, but state leaders are reluctant to take drastic actions to address...

Texas Gets Its First Human Case of West Nile Virus in 2021

Texas has reported its first human case of West Nile virus this year, on Tuesday. A Dallas County resident was confirmed to have the virus...

Ron Simmons sides with extremists over Texas kids

Protecting public health should be a common-sense, basic responsibility of the Texas Legislature. But State Representative Ron Simmons (R - Carrollton) thinks he knows better.

Texas Anti-Vaxxers Oppose COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Texans for Vaccine Choice has launched a campaign against contact tracing initiatives in Texas. The group is concerned about medical information they believe should...

Texas Rural Hospitals’ Dire Straits Could Have Been Prevented

The health and economic consequences of rural hospital closures within the state of Texas have direct ties to resistance to Medicaid expansion. Low rates of...
Texas children health insurance

Red tape keeping Texas children off health insurance

Texas continues to have the highest rate of children without health insurance. A recently released report from Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy...
Op-ed on importance of addressing Texas

Opinion: In 2020, Year of the Nurse, We Must Fix Texas’ Nursing Shortage

The philosopher Joseph Campbell said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” COVID-19 has shown...

COVID-19 Increases the Need, Economics for Medicaid Expansion in Texas

COVID-19 has brought a new urgency to the conversation about Medicaid expansion in Texas. With millions facing unemployment and loss of health insurance and...

Measles Infecting Kids in Undervaccinated West Texas County

A measles outbreak has infected two dozen unvaccinated West Texas residents over the past two weeks, hospitalizing nine, the Texas Department of State Health...
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