Texas health

The virus is transmitted to humans via rodents, or it can be passed by very close contact between people.

Texans with disabilities can wait almost two decades for certain Medicaid programs. During a House Human Services Committee public hearing Tuesday, advocates and some state lawmakers said they worry what long wait times mean for the nearly 200,000 Texans on "interest lists" for services.

The agency that oversees behavioral health and social work providers has about 1,000 "pending" complaints against providers — hundreds more than it has received in previous years. Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council leadership told lawmakers it may need support from the state to handle the volume.

To avoid the long distances rural health care providers have to travel for needed training, Texas Health has created a mobile simulation lab to bring the training directly to providers.

Some of Texas' largest buyers of health care provided insight into what might be driving higher health care costs. The House Select Committee on Health Care Affordability concluded its two-day public hearing Friday.

Texas is in the process of planning for the future of its state hospitals. Some advocates and families said Texas needs to improve capacity and access as demand for services grows.

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund found Texas has worse racial and ethnic health disparities than other states in the Southwest.

Dr. Jennifer Shuford has led the Department of State Health Services in Texas since 2022 after serving as the state's chief epidemiologist and helping to lead the COVID-19 response there.

Some Texans on SNAP say the ban on using food stamps to buy sugary drinks and candy prevents quick fixes to low blood sugar conditions.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, activity is higher than it was at the same time last year. Texas is extending access to immunizations for infants and toddlers until the end of the month in response to "persistent" infections.