Texas health

The U.S. Department of Education proposed a rule that could limit how much students can borrow for different degree programs. A KERA listener wants to know how that could affect health disparities in Texas.

Since Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas hospitals to start asking patients for their citizenship status in November 2024, reported visits by undocumented immigrants have dropped.

A proposed rule would allow some children to qualify for the Medically Dependent Children Program — a Medicaid program that offers home- and community-based services to children with complex medical needs — without needing a nursing facility stay. But, advocates said the language is too "narrow" and could hinder providers.

Most of the state's measles cases reported so far this year are inside the West Texas Detention Facility in Hudspeth County, where four infected El Paso residents worked.

Local officials report that 108 of the cases originated in a contracted detention facility in Hudspeth County.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion that says that a 2023 law that bans gender-transitioning medical care to minors also applies to mental health care.

The Texas Legislature at least partially implemented less than a third of recommendations from the state's 2024 Children's Behavioral Health Strategic Plan, according to a recent report. Many of the recommendations focus on increasing access to services that keep children in their homes or communities instead of institutional settings.

The board reprimanded Dr. Mary Bowden last year after she prescribed ivermectin to a patient at a Fort Worth hospital during the height of the pandemic.

Texas proposed increases to Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain ambulance services. During a public rate hearing, providers said the higher rates could help maintain access to critical services, especially in rural areas.

As a part of a yearlong study, Texas county jails are collecting data about pregnant inmates' prenatal care, mental health indicators, pregnancy outcomes and more.