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.

Non-essential Medical Procedures Resume in Texas

The wait is over for Texans whose medical procedures or elective surgeries had been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.  Effective today, Gov. Greg Abbott...

Texas Hospitals Dealing With Red Ink, but it Could be Worse

Health care is one of the few industries in America where being sold out doesn’t mean you aren’t losing money hand over fist. Despite...

Warning About Brain-Eating Amoeba Came Too Late to Save One Texas Child

Residents in eight Texas towns were notified over the weekend that a brain-eating amoeba had been found in their water supplies. The do not...

Maternal Medicaid Extension Passes Out of Committee

Texas' struggle with maternal mortality is not new, however the Legislature made a big step toward addressing its abysmal record when the House Committee...

Texas’ Families Leave The State Thanks To Lack Of Developmental Disabilities Services

Texas’ has around 500,000 residents living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, the state has the capacity to serve barely a fifth of those...

Measles continue to strike Texans, causes concern among doctors

As children head back to school, cases of measles highlights the serious risks of unvaccinated kids in the classroom.

Paid sick leave goes into effect for Dallas workers, but Attorney General Ken Paxton...

For many Texas workers, when illness or a family emergency strikes, there is little recourse to take time off if they want to stay...

Texas Obamacare Case Goes to Supreme Court, Keeping Health Care in Spotlight

The Supreme Court agreed early Monday to hear a lawsuit that seeks to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The federal lawsuit was filed...

Texas Gets Antiviral Medication Remdesivir to Treat COVID-19

The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Tuesday it is distributing 1,200 vials of the drug remdesivir, provided by the federal government, to...

Health Care Providers Have More Time to Apply for Relief Funds

Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced Wednesday that eligible health care providers have more time to apply for...
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