THA’s 2025 Session in Review: Outcomes for Texas Hospitals

New end-of-session report reviews the trials and triumphs of a unique few months in Austin.

June 24, 2025 | | Written by Joey Berlin

Medicaid talks in Washington, D.C., measles in West Texas and the usual whirlwind at the Capitol in downtown Austin made the 89th regular session of the Texas Legislature a particularly turbulent one for the Texas Hospital Association and its members. But once again, Texas hospitals emerged from adjournment sine die with a satisfying list of legislative accomplishments and an encouraging outlook for the road ahead.

A complete look at how hospitals fared in the 2025 session is now available in THA’s end-of-session report, Health Care and the 89th Texas Legislature: Outcomes for Texas Hospitals . In taking stock of the results from this year’s session – and what they mean for Texas hospitals – the report also notes the unusual circumstances that divided the attention of the hospital and health care industries. The measles outbreak in the western part of the state, centered on Gaines County, highlighted the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates. Meanwhile, talks in Washington on the federal budget reconciliation package – now known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – necessitated fervent advocacy from THA in D.C. as proposals to curb key sources of funding for Texas Medicaid emerged as a threat to access to care.

“With THA having to fervently represent Texas hospitals at simultaneous crunch times under two rotundas, we had our work cut out for us to make the 2025 state session a successful one,” THA President/CEO John Hawkins wrote in his message at the outset of this year’s report. “Yet, we were able to do it – and I can also say that in my two decades here at THA, I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of our membership and our advocacy team.”

Health Care and the 89th Texas Legislature details key victories that made it a successful session for Texas hospitals, including:

The passage of the Life of the Mother Act, a vital clarification to the medical emergency exception to Texas’ abortion ban giving physicians clear direction on when it’s legal to terminate a pregnancy to save the mother’s life.
Another boost for behavioral health through new provider incentives for the state’s Loan Repayment Program for Mental Health Professionals and a new law clarifying how hospitals can obtain an order of protective custody on a dangerous patient.
Several new types of funding and support for rural hospitals through legislation that establishes such initiatives as a State Office of Rural Finance and a new Rural Hospital Support Grant Program.
Advancements for hospital security and workplace safety, including required notification to the hospital before a visit from a parolee on release for a violent crime who is under mandatory electronic monitoring.
Another year of success in defeating or working to modify ill-advised legislation, with THA-opposed bills on subjects such as vaccines and charity care all falling short of the governor’s desk. THA also negotiated with the authors of problematic bills on hospital facility fees to improve their legislation before those bills ultimately died.

The report also includes details on the 2026-27 state budget, in which THA convinced lawmakers to maintain funding for nearly all hospital-relevant facets and infuse more money into certain areas of need, such as Medicaid payment rates for rural hospitals.

download the Report

THA members can also now access THA’s end-of-session member connection call from the waning days before adjournment, in which THA advocacy staff summarize the key results for hospitals and health care.

Gov. Greg Abbott concluded the 89th Legislature this week after signing 1,155 pieces of legislation into law while vetoing another 28. The Governor has also called for a special session to begin July 21. Stay tuned for more updates to come from THA on The Scope.