Healthcare Advocate: Oct. 15, 2026

Table of Contents Midterm Early Voting Starts Oct. 19-30 Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins Monday, Oct.19 and ends on Oct. 30, giving registered Texas voters the opportunity to cast their ballots before Election Day. Whether you vote early or on Election Day, take time to make a plan, check your polling information and learn about the…

Healthcare Advocate: Oct. 8, 2026

Table of Contents THA, UMC El Paso Host Listening Session and Delegation Visit This week, THA hosted the last of its three statewide listening sessions at the University Medical Center of El Paso. The THA advocacy team and local hospitals discussed rising healthcare costs, behavioral healthcare, workforce shortages, efforts to close care gaps and other issues affecting hospitals’ ability to…

Healthcare Advocate: Oct. 1, 2026

Table of Contents Medicaid and SNAP Application Backlog Climbs to 238,000 The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) continues to face a growing backlog of Medicaid and SNAP applications, creating challenges for Texas families and hospitals alike. The Medicaid backlog has grown to approximately 238,000 unprocessed applications. Many applications remain at the processing stage, delaying access to health coverage…

Healthcare Advocate: Sept. 24, 2026

Table of Contents Bold Ideas and Texas-Sized Conversations: THA Wraps 2026 Annual Conference Fort Worth was the place to be this week as hospital and healthcare leaders from across the state gathered for THA’s Annual Conference. From policy deep dives to hospital storytelling, THA’s dynamic conference offered a lineup that covered the full spectrum of what’s shaping Texas hospitals today.…

Healthcare Advocate: Sept. 17, 2026

Table of Contents A Landmark Win: Unified Pressure Yields $12B Texas Victory Today, Gov. Greg Abbott announced federal approval of $12 billion in crucial Medicaid funding for Texas patients and hospitals. This comes after months of sustained pressure, urgent calls for action and vocal concern about mounting losses for Texas hospitals. The resolution approved funding of three key Medicaid direct…

Healthcare Advocate: Sept. 10, 2026

Table of Contents Texas Hospitals Face Mounting Losses Amid CMS Impasse Texas hospitals continue to face financial strain due to a persistent impasse with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, losing an estimated $27 million a day as the agency withholds approval of critical Medicaid directed payment programs (DPPs). Earlier this week, THA met with the Texas Health and…

Healthcare Advocate: Sept. 3, 2026

Table of Contents THA Prompts Action on Medicaid Funding Impasse With Texas hospitals facing unprecedented daily financial losses starting this week, THA prompted fast and widespread media attention on Medicaid and the ongoing impasse between the state and the federal government. Starting Tuesday, hospitals began facing $27 million a day in losses as the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services…

Healthcare Advocate: Aug. 27, 2026

Table of Contents Medicaid Payment Delays to Begin Sept.1 as Texas, CMS Impasse Continues The new Texas state fiscal year 2027 will begin on Sept. 1, without timely approval for three Medicaid state directed payment programs – CHIRP, TIPPS, and RAPPS – totaling $9.8 billion in annual payments. A proposed update to a $1.3 billion SFY 2026 CHIRP pay-for-performance quality…

Healthcare Advocate: Aug. 20, 2026

Table of Contents THA Corrects Narrative on AI in Healthcare Today, the House Public Health Committee held a hearing on social media’s impact on youth health and well-being, infant mortality prevention, the use of artificial intelligence in health care, and public health trends and prevention. THA testified on the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, correcting the narrative by clarifying…

Healthcare Advocate: Aug. 13, 2026

Table of Contents Trump Issues Executive Order on Vaccine Recommendations Earlier this week, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to align core childhood vaccine recommendations with practices in peer, developed countries. The order designates three tiers of childhood immunizations: those recommended for all children (including MMR, DTaP, polio, Hib, pneumococcal, HPV, and varicella), those recommended for high-risk…