INSIDER
Texas Legislature passes bill to offer new moms a year of Medicaid coverage
Read full article: Texas Legislature passes bill to offer new moms a year of Medicaid coverageThe Texas House and Senate voted for the proposal, capping a yearslong effort to extend coverage for low-income moms. Medicaid covers half of all births in Texas, and coverage currently expires after two months.
Texas House delays final vote on barring the death penalty for mentally ill defendants
Read full article: Texas House delays final vote on barring the death penalty for mentally ill defendantsThe chamber has repeatedly passed legislation in recent sessions eliminating the death penalty in cases of severe mental illness, but hardline conservatives are now pushing back.
Workforce shortages in the state psychiatric hospital system prolong jail time for mentally ill Texans
Read full article: Workforce shortages in the state psychiatric hospital system prolong jail time for mentally ill TexansThe state has added more beds for jail inmates who need psychiatric treatment to be considered competent to face trial. But at least a third remain empty because the state can’t hire enough people to staff them.
Speaker Dade Phelan endorses Medicaid expansion for new mothers, repeal of “tampon tax” in first batch of 2023 priorities
Read full article: Speaker Dade Phelan endorses Medicaid expansion for new mothers, repeal of “tampon tax” in first batch of 2023 prioritiesThe leader of the state House also threw his support behind bills to crack down on how companies handle private data and to protect children from “addictive algorithms” by digital companies.
State, feds say six-month maternal Medicaid coverage still under review
Read full article: State, feds say six-month maternal Medicaid coverage still under reviewHHSC said it was initially told the plan was “not approvable.” Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a statement Friday saying Texas’ plan to extend coverage to six months was not rejected but still under review.