Tag Archives: Harris County Hospital District

Interview with Lesley Briones about the Harris Health System bond referendum

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s interview is about a vital issue that I suspect has gotten far less attention than it deserves. I’m speaking of the $2.5 billion bond issue to expand, improve, and renovate the public hospitals and other facilities of the Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Lesley Briones about the Harris Health System bond referendum

Endorsement watch: For the hospital bond

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good call. It’s unacceptable for a public hospital whose mission is to save lives to instead endanger them due to aging infrastructure that’s been neglected for too long. The pipe break was the second of three in 2020. Just weeks … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Does Houston get its fair share from Harris County?

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s complicated. Do property taxpayers inside the City of Houston subsidize Harris County services? It’s a question that comes up a lot, given the fact that city residents—like their counterparts in the county—pay separate property taxes to the county, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Trumpcare would be a hospital killer

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is hardly a new problem, but it’s yet another aspect of Trumpcare that gets too little attention. Texas hospitals stand to lose billions under the Republican-backed health plan, as federal Medicaid dollars shrink, leading to a rise in uncompensated … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Steve Radack supports Medicaid expansion

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. When Harris County commissioners were asked this week by a member of the public to lower the property tax burden, Steve Radack had a response prepared: tell Austin to let millions of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Keeping an eye on Katy ISD

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This could be interesting. Some of the details of George Scott’s “shadow school board” are still that – shadowy. But as the conservative blogger has assembled a group to meet regularly to reach its own conclusions about the business of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harris Health wants more people to enroll in Obamacare

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Who can blame them? Harris County’s public health care agency, responding to a budget crisis, will eliminate more than 19,000 people next year from eligibility for free or nearly free services, hoping most of these patients will obtain coverage through … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris Health wants more people to enroll in Obamacare

Watch the county’s business

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I wholeheartedly approve of this. Meetings of the Harris County Commissioners Court and the governing boards of the Port of Houston Authority, the Harris Health System and the Harris County Department of Education soon could be streamed live online. County … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Watch the county’s business

Harris Health System plans to serve more patients via Medicaid waiver

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The story about what they’re going to do leaves a few details out, however. Harris Health System leaders plan to serve 100,000 new patients in the next three years. That is a 37 percent increase from today, and is particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris Health System plans to serve more patients via Medicaid waiver

Yes, Ed Emmett supports Medicaid expansion

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As I’m sure you’re aware, I’ve been banging the drum pretty much nonstop for Medicaid expansion. I see it not only as a state issue but a county issue as well, which is why I’ve made a big deal about … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Inside baseball with the hospital district

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to learn from this article about the political relationship between the Harris County Hospital District and Commissioners Court. You have to wonder if David Lopez ever feels like he’s in the circus. When … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Inside baseball with the hospital district

Counties may try to expand Medicaid on their own

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Washington Post reports on the efforts of county and hospital district officials in some of Texas’ largest counties to bypass Rick Perry’s refusal to expand Medicaid for Texas and seek approval to do it themselves for their own jurisdictions. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harris County prepares to get hammered

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The House budget will cost Harris County a bundle if it passes as is. Harris County health care providers would lose more than $2 billion in Medicaid funding under the Texas House budget that passed Sunday night, according to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County prepares to get hammered

There is a solution for this

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Yet it manages to go completely unmentioned in this story. The Harris County Hospital District has begun turning away uninsured patients from other counties who show up in its facilities and do not need urgent care, unless they pay cash … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on There is a solution for this