Texas Insight’s Recent Reports
- HHSC: Value-Based Payment and Quality Improvement Advisory Committee: This meeting prioritized the following: Bylaws status; Review, discuss, and approve updated recommendation options and next steps for the 2018 legislative report; Presentation on maternity care bundle; Presentation on opportunities for behavioral health value-based payment (VBP) and care models; Presentation on CMS scorecard initiative; Update on Qualified Entity program initiative; Discuss future directions for improving quality and efficiency; and hear from stakeholders.
- Current Issues in Texas Nursing: A steady supply of nurses in Texas is critical to the health and well-being of the people of Texas. However, Texas is suffering one of the most critical nursing shortages among the US states, resulting from both the aging and growth of the Texas population combined with low rates of new nurses entering the workforce. This posting reviews shortages and other nursing issues in the state that are critical to address in order to maintain quality health care that all Texans can access.
- HHSC: Medical Care Advisory Committee: The Medical Care Advisory Committee is a federally mandated committee that reviews and makes recommendations to the state Medicaid director on proposed rules that involve Medicaid policy or affect Medicaid-funded programs.
Looking Ahead
- August 23, 2018: Health and Human Services Commission Executive Council
- August 24, 2018: Newborn Screening Advisory Committee Meeting Teleconference
State and Federal Healthcare News
Texas
- State appeals court temporarily blocks Austin’s paid sick leave ordinance
- Employees protest poor working conditions in state office buildings
- San Antonio passes paid sick leave ordinance, joining Austin in fight against top Texas Republicans
- Patrick says TRS Board should hold the line on retired teacher health insurance premiums
- Coordinating Board approves Sam Houston med school on 5-4 vote
- Doctors say hospital mass shootings need a better strategy than “run, hide, fight …
- Houston home to No. 1 hospital in Texas, per 2018 US News & World …
U.S.
- U.S. health secretary says agency has power to eliminate drug rebates
- California Today: At an Oakland Hospital, a New Way to Treat Opioid Addiction
- The Secret to Keeping Black Men Healthy? Maybe Black Doctors.
- States Rush to Rein in Prescription Costs, and Drug Companies Fight Back
- This E.R. Treats Opioid Addiction on Demand. That’s Very Rare.
- In San Francisco, Opioid Addiction Treatment Offered on the Streets
- Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017
- Fentanyl Used to Execute Nebraska Inmate, in a First for U.S.