Blog

Author: Genny Lemos

  • Abbott Targets 50% Property Tax Cut In New Texas Proposal

    Abbott Targets 50% Property Tax Cut In New Texas Proposal

    Governor Abbott unveiled a plan to improve affordability in Texas by aiming to cut property taxes by 50% through voter approval requirements, tax rollbacks, and appraisal caps. The plan includes eliminating school property taxes, promoting three-year college degrees, and discounted summer courses. It also targets lower health care costs by capping medication prices, offering insurance for essential care, and reducing home insurance premiums. Data centers will face regulations to limit resource use and support energy costs for residents.

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  • Texas Adds WISeR Prior Authorization

    In Texas, traditional Medicare patients seeking selected outpatient procedures now face a coverage review either before treatment or before payment under a new federal test.
    Active categories in Texas included epidural steroid injections, cervical fusion, nerve stimulators, vertebral augmentation, certain knee procedures, incontinence devices, erectile-dysfunction treatments, and wound-care substitutes.
    Texas providers could seek advance approval, with reviewers generally responding within 3 business days or 2 for expedited cases, or accept prepayment review afterward.
    If coverage was not affirmed in Texas, providers could resubmit with more documentation and request clinician discussion; patients should read any noncoverage notice carefully.
    Federal officials left room to add more services in Texas, so patients and providers benefited from confirming billing codes, review routes, records, and costs early.

  • Texas Expands Medicaid Access to Over 210,000 Applicants

    Texas Expands Medicaid Access to Over 210,000 Applicants

    Texas' backlog of Medicaid applications surged from about 1,600 to over 210,000 between January and August, while SNAP backlogs grew from 3,700 to over 150,000. Federal changes to SNAP, including increased state administrative costs and stricter accuracy requirements, have strained the system. Processing times rose to 70 days for Medicaid and over 30 days for SNAP, delaying access to healthcare and food benefits. The outdated eligibility system and manual processes contribute to delays, prompting calls for improved technology and community support.

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  • Gov. Greg Abbott doubles down his support on rare public fight for Medicaid funding

    Gov. Greg Abbott doubles down his support on rare public fight for Medicaid funding

    Texas is fighting to recover nearly $10 billion in Medicaid funding withheld by the federal government, which questions the state's hospital tax calculations. The funds help hospitals cover costs for Medicaid patients and are delayed, costing hospitals $27 million daily. Texas officials assert compliance with federal law, while federal agencies seek assurance on fund use. The dispute follows federal Medicaid cuts and affects hospital funding amid Texas' high uninsured rate.

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  • Best Medicare Advantage Plans In Texas 2026

    Best Medicare Advantage Plans In Texas 2026

    Medicare Advantage plans in Texas bundle hospital, medical, and drug coverage with extra benefits. Plans are rated based on premiums, out-of-pocket costs, CMS star ratings, enrollment share, and coverage. Average monthly costs are around $14, with many plans offering $0 premiums but requiring Part B payments. Types include HMO, PPO, HMO-POS, PFFS, and Special Needs Plans. Enrollment periods include Initial, Annual, Open Enrollment, 5-Star Special, and Special Enrollment Periods.

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  • Payer reimbursement changes to know in September

    Payer reimbursement changes to know in September

    Major health insurers changed reimbursement policies, limiting lab test coverage, reducing radiology payments, phasing out incident-to billing, updating lab-related policies, revising surgery reimbursements, and modifying Medicaid specialty medication and pharmacy coverage.

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  • Understanding Adults’ Choices: Beyond Insurance in Healthcare

    Understanding Adults’ Choices: Beyond Insurance in Healthcare

    Many adults avoid medical care due to cost, with uninsured individuals more likely to skip needed care. Texas has a high rate of avoiding doctors and the lowest health insurance enrollment. Rising premiums and deductibles lead many to downgrade plans, causing underinsurance and high out-of-pocket costs. Other factors include racial discrimination and gender differences, but cost and access remain primary barriers to healthcare.

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  • Texas Medicaid Waits Are Getting Longer

    From Early-Q1 to Mid-Q3, Texas Medicaid applications awaiting action went from ~1.6K to >210K, while SNAP backlog moved from ~3.7K to >150K.
    By Mid-Q3, Texas Medicaid processing time reached ~70 days from ~50, and applications handled within the 45-day federal standard fell to ~60%.
    Texas SNAP wait times stretched from ~20 days in Early-Q1 to >30 in Mid-Q3, as new federal mandates added case reviews, training, and tech work.
    Because Texas uses one application for Medicaid and SNAP, changes in either program can strain the same worker pool and a manual-heavy system.
    Advocates said Texas may need faster relief through community partnerships or in-person enrollment events, because major technology upgrades were expected to take years.

  • Texas Adults Skip Needed Care

    Texas shows why adults skip needed care: time off, travel, and fear matter, but experts said cost remained the barrier shaping access most.
    A survey helps explain Texas: ~75% of uninsured adults skipped needed care because of cost in the past 12 mo, versus ~37% of insured adults.
    Current rankings placed Texas second for adults avoiding doctor visits at ~18%, while the state also posted the nation’s lowest health insurance enrollment.
    An expert said many Texans kept coverage but downgraded plans this year; moves from gold to silver or bronze plans had quadrupled.
    That trend pointed to underinsurance in Texas: people kept coverage, but higher copays and deductibles still discouraged doctor visits and weakened access to primary care.
    An expert said wider coverage alone would not fix Texas access problems unless costs came under control, because an insurance card does not guarantee care.

  • Am I eligible for a $500 health insurance refund? What you need to know

    Am I eligible for a $500 health insurance refund? What you need to know

    About 1 million Americans in 30 states using the federal Healthcare.gov exchange without subsidies will receive a one-time $500 rebate due to excess user fees that increased premiums. The 2026 fee was 2.5%, set to drop to 1.9% in 2027. Those in states with their own marketplaces or receiving subsidies are not eligible. No application is required; payments will be issued in October.

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