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Health Care Advocate: Jan. 30, 2025

Table of Contents Analysis: Budget Starting Point Holds Serve on Health Care Dollars THA’s review of the respective state House and Senate budget proposals for 2026-27 showed lawmakers in the Texas Legislature are largely preparing to hold the line on health care spending – a relative relief for Texas hospitals if that approach holds in the final budget. The filed…


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Health Care Advocate: Jan. 23, 2025

Table of Contents Kolkhorst, Perry Will Once Again Lead Senate HHS Committee The Texas Legislature’s most health care-relevant committee will look much the same during the 2025 session as it did two years ago. Last Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released the list of Senate committee assignments for the current session, and the Committee on Health and Human Services (HHS)…


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Health Care Advocate: Jan. 16, 2025

Table of Contents Speaker Burrows’ THA Familiarity “Should Translate Well” The Texas Legislature gaveled in its 89th session on Tuesday with the traditionally quiet opening formalities enlivened this time with a contested race for speaker of the House of Representatives. Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) came out on top in the speaker’s race, a key factor in how session will unfold…


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Health Care Advocate, Jan. 9, 2025

Table of Contents Congress Postpones DSH Cuts, Extends Key Programs Through March Just before the holidays, Congress once again played the proverbial game of “kick the can” on several hospital issues as it passed a continuing resolution to fund the government, including another delay on planned Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment cuts. The final legislative package signed by President…


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Health Care Advocate: Dec. 19, 2024

Table of Contents THA Finds Likely Error on Undocumented Immigrant Cost Form THA has contacted the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to resolve a potential error on the state’s form for hospitals to report data tied to caring for undocumented immigrants, released in connection with the executive order Gov. Greg Abbott issued last August. The form is now…


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Health Care Advocate: Dec. 12, 2024

Table of Contents THA’s Final 2024 Trip to D.C. Stresses Vital End-of-Year Action With an end-of-year clock ticking to stop Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) cuts and continue several federal programs beneficial to hospitals, THA advocacy staff members went to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with members of the Texas congressional delegation. Lawmakers there are working to fund the…


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Health Care Advocate: Dec. 5, 2024

Table of Contents Abbott, THA Meet on Key Hospital Issues THA staff and member representatives sat down this week with Gov. Greg Abbott ahead of the upcoming 89th session of the Texas Legislature. The meeting centered on the issues that will matter most to hospitals during the 2025 session, including supplemental payment programs and hospital charity care policies. Governor Abbott…


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Health Care Advocate: Nov. 21, 2024

Table of Contents First U.S. Case of Clade I Mpox Diagnosed In an advisory Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the diagnosis of the first United States case of clade I mpox. The patient was diagnosed on Nov. 15 in San Mateo County, California, after seeking medical care for symptoms consistent with clade I mpox following…


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Health Care Advocate: Nov. 14, 2024

Table of Contents Baxter Restarts Second IV Line, Accounting for About 50% of Production In recent updates on the temporary closure of its IV solutions facility in North Carolina due to Hurricane Helene, Baxter International stated that it has restarted a second solution-manufacturing line this week, and that it expects “100% allocation” on several of its product codes before the…


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Health Care Advocate: Nov. 7, 2024

Table of Contents Republicans Roll in Key State and Federal Races From the return of former President Donald Trump to the White House to Texas Republicans increasing their majority in the state Legislature, Tuesday’s election illuminated part of the path Texas hospitals will navigate in pursuing their state and federal policy priorities in 2025. As of Wednesday, according to the…


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