Health Care Advocate: Nov. 20, 2025

Table of Contents Cassidy Proposal Would Direct EPTCs to Health Savings Accounts The biggest loose end remaining from the government shutdown that ended last week – the fate of enhanced premium tax credits (EPTC) for the federal Health Insurance Marketplace – generated more debate this week as the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance examined “The Rising Cost of Health Care”…

Health Care Advocate: Nov. 13, 2025

Table of Contents Funding Deal Revives Hospital Programs For Now Congress reached a deal this week to reopen the federal government through Jan. 30, 2026 – which establishes that date as the key one for hospitals on a fresh short-term delay of Medicaid Disproportionate Share (DSH) cuts and new reauthorizations of several programs. Lawmakers’ continuing resolution (CR) ended the shutdown…

Health Care Advocate: Nov. 6, 2025

Table of Contents DSHS Alert: Pertussis Cases Up Fourfold Over 2024 The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued a health alert reporting a significant increase in pertussis, or whooping cough, cases in 2025. More than 3,500 cases have been reported through October – approximately four times the number reported during the same period last year. This marks the…

Health Care Advocate: Oct. 30, 2025

Table of Contents Shutdown Update: First Texas DSH Cuts Top $300 Million The impact of the current federal government shutdown officially reached Texas facilities in the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program this week as they received their first advance DSH payment of fiscal year 2026. Accompanying the shutdown that began on Oct. 1 was the initial implementation of long-delayed…

Health Care Advocate: Oct. 23, 2025

Table of Contents AHA Provides Updates on H-1B Visas, Physician Employment Trends U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued updated guidance on Monday clarifying the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee announced last month. The fee applies only to recipients outside the U.S. without a valid H-1B visa and excludes recipients of previously issued visas and current visa holders, as well as…

Health Care Advocate: Oct. 16, 2025

Table of Contents THA, Hospital Leaders Advocate for Rural Needs at HHSC Hearing THA and its membership were well-represented among more than 80 testifiers at a Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) public hearing Monday on the Rural Health Transformation Program, a new $50 billion federal initiative for which HHSC is preparing Texas’ application for program funds. Hospital representatives…

Health Care Advocate: Oct. 9, 2025

Table of Contents Medicare Advantage Prompt-Pay Bill Backed by THA THA’s efforts to crack down on hassles and impediments in Medicare Advantage (MA) have found a fresh legislative vehicle in the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, recently introduced in Congress by U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Lubbock) and supported by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.). The bipartisan bill would: A broad and…

Health Care Advocate: Oct. 2, 2025

Table of Contents Government Shutdown: The Latest on Hospital Impacts THA is monitoring all developments related to the current federal government shutdown, which began Tuesday night at midnight ET following Congress’s failure to pass a short-term funding package. With the shutdown now in effect, three fiscal years of cuts to Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) have officially started to kick…

Health Care Advocate: Sept. 25, 2025

Table of Contents Government Shutdown Still Threatens to Upend Hospital Programs Congressional lawmakers have five more days to avoid a federal government shutdown, but an apparent impasse continues ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to keep the government open – leaving troubling uncertainty for the future and fate of several key hospital programs and provisions. If no funding deal is…

Health Care Advocate: Sept. 18, 2025

Table of Contents THA Talks DSH Cuts, Premium Tax Credits and More in D.C. Members of THA’s advocacy team were in Washington, D.C., this week to stress critical issues for Texas hospitals in meetings with the offices of the Texas congressional delegation. THA staff met directly with three House members and staff for 12 other lawmakers, including both Sens. John…