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A conversation began at TribFest. Let’s keep it going.
A number of folks approached us during the recent Texas Tribune Festival and asked, “What is Texas 2036 all about?”
It’s exactly the question we were hoping to hear. We explained that Texas 2036 is a nonprofit organization building statewide support for sustained, data-driven planning efforts. We are focused on the challenges and opportunities our state faces as it prepares for its bicentennial in 17 years — and the 10 million more people who will call Texas home by then.
Expanded broadband access lifts limits on human potential
With expanded broadband access you reap what you sow – a smarter, healthier, more prosperous Texas.
How Walmart helps fight hunger in Texas
Do you know what it’s like to be hungry? Really hungry? To live with the constant stress over how to pay for food? To not know where your family’s next meal is coming from? To have to tell your children there is no dinner tonight?
How to reduce waste in the kitchen
Food waste happens at every point in the food system, but more than 43% of it happens in our homes, according to ReFED.
Texas Legislature making strides to protect patients
Don’t let a lawyer be your doctor.
The credible case for One Water
The US Water Alliance advances policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all.
Texas leads the nation in liver cancer mortality
We can change that. See how UT Southwestern is reversing this trend and saving lives.
The truth about tolling
Exposing three common myths that keep Texas from making real progress on transportation.
Knowledge: The enduring investment
WGU Texas is working diligently to ensure people from all backgrounds and life experiences have an opportunity to pursue an affordable, quality education.
Texas now boasts the nation’s strongest laws to shield patients from surprise bills
Sweeping legislation that will help protect thousands of Texans from the calamity of surprise bills and price-gouging associated with freestanding emergency rooms (FSERs) was a high point of the 86th Texas Legislative session.
The depression test: A new Texas two-step
Most people with depression never get treated. But what if everyone got screened at their regular checkups?
Fueling Texas’ banking industry future
Once again, Texas Tech has recognized another need and is on the precipice of developing a solution. With the help of local industry leaders, the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business will begin the Excellence in Banking Program this fall, designed to produce top-notch bankers by giving students a comprehensive understanding of modern banking operations and practices.
Mental health awareness in our rural communities
Many of us can attest to our own personal struggles with mental illness, or that of family members and friends. Today, one in five U.S. adults live with mental illness, and young adults (ages 18 to 25) experience the highest prevalence (25.8%) of any mental illness. Mental illnesses and substance use disorders are the leading causes of disability worldwide, with a strong connection to suicide.
In Houston, the sky is not the limit
Guess who’s turning 50? Two very big half-century milestones are taking place in Houston this year. George Bush Intercontinental Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, turns 50, and so does the groundbreaking lunar landing.
Science. Technology. Helping Texas farmers make conservation investments for tomorrow’s benefits.
Science and technology will continue making advancements in the production of food and the contributions farmers are making to ensure a stable food supply need to be understood and recognized by all of us.
Texas needs vaccination heroes
A public health crisis has emerged in Texas and across America as misinformation is leading families to opt out of life-saving immunizations. When we don’t immunize ourselves and our children, we endanger everyone who comes into contact with us.
Stop your insurance company from denying your emergency care coverage
Fellow Texans, your access to ER coverage is under attack by Big Insurance. Now is the time to take a stand for your patient rights.
Walmart is helping me earn my bachelor’s degree
Walmart is giving associates the opportunity to earn a college degree for $1 per day.
How the wind saved Starr County
Everyone likes a good comeback story, and Starr County’s is one I am happy to tell. As a rural border community, we have seen our share of difficult times, and the budget is always one of our biggest challenges. Finding the funds to meet the needs of our residents can be difficult, and just two years ago, we were forced to take out loans to keep the county running. Jobs were lost and critical government departments, including the sheriff's office, saw severe budget cuts. Our situation was dire.
Replacing genes. Restoring hope.
UT Southwestern Medical Center is uniquely poised to move gene therapy discovery into clinical trials with a world-renowned gene therapy team, state-of-the-art facilities, and a partner pediatric hospital in Dallas.
Summers: An argument for critical learning and economic development
As summer rapidly approaches, students, teachers, businesses and parents alike have a vested interest in protecting these valuable weeks of personal growth and economic development.
Rolling the dice on auto coverage
Did you know your insurance provider may not cover a loaner vehicle?
The cloud your datacenter always wanted
When it comes to building a cloud infrastructure, the options are endless, and time is limited. With the IBM Cloud Private Storage, clients enjoy access to their data both on- and off-premises in a dedicated hosted private storage cloud infrastructure. As an industry leader, IBM Cloud Private Storage comes with the confidence of increased security and cost effectiveness.
The new driving force of the Texas economy
Texas is an energy state. But, energy isn’t alone in driving Texas forward. We also have a burgeoning life sciences industry that – with the right policies and strategic investments – is poised to be a driving force in the Texas economy for decades to come.
Keeping our promises to Texas mothers and babies
Protecting the health of mothers and babies is a promise made by everyone who works in health care. A healthy baby has a better chance of growing into a healthy child and a healthy and productive adult.
How the Texas Legislature can fulfill "our promise to patients" this session
Texas consumers increasingly have their access to emergency medical care delayed or altogether thwarted, and their coverage for legitimate care denied. After witnessing this alarming trend, Texas’ freestanding emergency room community is taking action to better protect and inform patients and their families.
Reforming campus culture to promote student safety
College should be the beginning of a kid’s life, not the end.
‘We Teach Texas’ calls on Texans to become teachers
Kudos to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dennis Bonnen for making teachers the top priority this legislative session. Teachers work hard every day to make a difference. They positively impact the future, and they deserve our support. Giving them all a raise is a good start.
Texas Tech Burkhart Center launches mobile autism clinic
Targeting underserved, rural West Texas communities, the clinic will provide resources for parents and caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research, part of Texas Tech University's College of Education, is launching a mobile autism clinic to bring assistance to underserved, rural communities in West Texas.
Laws against texting while driving save lives
New evidence from the Texas A&M School of Public Health indicates that texting-while-driving laws may avert the need for emergency treatment following motor vehicle crashes. Researchers found that states with primary texting bans on all drivers saw, on average, an 8 percent reduction in emergency department visits resulting from motor vehicle crashes.
The Texas Experience, Powered by The Texas Tribune
Revel™ The Texas Experience: Lone Star Politics, Policy, and Participation, from Pearson Education, brings the fast-paced, ever-changing world of Texas law, leadership and politics to life in the college classroom.
Heart attackers, tackling heart disease in Texas.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in Texas and the U.S., but thanks to an important discovery made at UT Southwestern Medical Center, it could one day be a thing of the past. The pioneering Dallas Heart Study launched by UT Southwestern geneticists Dr. Helen Hobbs and Dr. Jonathan Cohen yielded invaluable findings that led to a new class of drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors — the next generation of cholesterol-controlling medications.
VisitDallas curates the Dallas experience for visitors
VisitDallas, the sales and marketing organization for the city of Dallas, is a pioneer in the destination marketing organization (DMO) space, leading the way in shaping the visitor experience for travelers of all kinds.
Learn about the business of education
According to the Texas Education Agency, there are 1,246 school districts and charters with more than 3,000 campuses in Texas. These schools serve more than 5.4 million students. It is an enormous responsibility to provide a safe learning environment for these school children — a responsibility not taken lightly by the many people who care and are committed to public education.
Protecting summers is good for Texas
As we enter the final weeks of the 86th Session, I call on my fellow lawmakers and educators across the state to look back to their own teenage years and reflect on the importance and value of their first summer job and the direct impact it had on their own college preparedness and future career.
Funding our future: Expanding access to state-based student financial aid
In the Lone Star State today, there are four million Texans with some college and no degree. Yet by 2020, 65 percent of the jobs available in the U.S. will require some college education or above, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. This gap in educational attainment translates to lost career opportunities for Texans without degrees and impacts the state’s overall economy. If we are to preserve — and improve — our current and future prosperity, we must work urgently to close the gap in the shortfall of college graduates needed for the workforce.
It’s time for prescription drug reforms in Texas
Out-of-control drug prices are a serious problem for every American and every Texan. The Trump administration and many other states have moved to address this problem; it’s past time for our state to join them.
Poll shows Texas voters oppose price-gouging by medical providers
When Texans walk into the grocery store, they know what they’re going to be charged for a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. Texans should also know what they’re going to be charged for medical tests and procedures. Unfortunately, that’s increasingly not the case — and they’re fed up, according to a recent statewide poll. A majority of Texas voters are so frustrated by a lack of transparency by some medical providers that they support new laws that would protect consumers from price-gouging, according to a survey of 801 Texas voters, conducted by Baselice & Associates using accepted statistical methods.
The future of immigration
Although there is wide agreement that the immigration system is broken, federal government and cities perspectives on solutions differ greatly. While national leaders are moving aggressively to restrict immigration, with little to no understanding of what immigration means for our economy and our society, our cities and communities understand and welcome the added value that immigrants bring with them, especially to local economies, entrepreneurship, neighborhoods and cultural landscapes.
A conversation about criminal justice reform in Texas
With a 93 percent success rate, probation in Texas is very effective. That’s due to its unique ability to maintain local control, which ensures individual and community needs are met. However, the system, which is composed of 122 different departments across the state, has limited resources.
Each legislative session, the Texas Probation Association (TPA) continues to fight for the continuation of adequate funding and local autonomy in the adult and juvenile probation systems.
House Bill 3 deserves a sustained round of applause
When state leaders take action that responds directly to the requests of their constituents, it is time to stop everything, shout thank you and offer a sustained round of applause.
Conservatives continue to lead the way on clean energy issues
Successful clean energy efforts in Texas have largely been and will continue to be the result of strong conservative Republican leadership. In 1999, while still Governor of Texas, George W. Bush signed legislation that deregulated the state’s power market and set the state on a path to becoming a leader in generating electricity from carbon-free electricity. That policy has now become a national model and roadmap for economic success.
Transformative higher education to serve a thriving state
We are privileged to live in a state with growth opportunities on all fronts. Simply meeting today’s demand for a career-ready workforce will not be enough to sustain our economic advantage. It is more important than ever to prepare college students to become highly skilled professionals who can lead Texas into a future of even more significant impact.
Texas A&M thanks its student veterans for going above and beyond
Texas A&M senior Matthew Curtis spends most of his rare free time working on a life-saving tourniquet device, hoping to reduce the human challenges of trying to rescue a bleeding arm or leg. “In a stressful situation, your ability to concentrate and perform fine motor movements decreases drastically,” Curtis said, referring to those precious, agonizing minutes that follow being wounded. “As much as possible, equipment should compensate for that, which means it should be as simple to apply as possible, so that you don’t have to think about what you’re doing.”
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe brings jobs to Texas; keeps entertainment spending in state
On February 15, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas welcomed its two-millionth visitor to Naskila Gaming. Naturally, quite a celebration took place. The lucky gentleman from Crockett was showered with prizes — including significant free play on the electronic bingo games that are the feature of Naskila Gaming — for his moment of historic happenstance.
Property tax relief, improved school funding must go together
Property tax relief is inextricably tied to improved school funding. Locally elected, locally accountable school board members know that property tax restraints cannot be addressed in isolation without detrimental effects to Texas schools. Over the past decade, the Texas Legislature has shifted more and more of the burden for funding the state’s public schools onto the shoulders of local taxpayers because of an outdated school finance system.
Texas trauma hospitals need continued state funding
When most of us think of trauma events, we think of mass casualty events like school shootings, natural disasters or terror attacks. But each year, more than 130,000 Texans experience trauma injuries requiring hospitalization. Often these hospitalizations require medical care of the highest specialization — neurosurgery, orthopedics, burn care — as well as long-term physical rehabilitation services.
UTEP’s top-tier designation benefits Texas and beyond
For the past 30 years, The University of Texas at El Paso has experienced unprecedented growth in facilities, academic programs and enrollment. This growth is the direct result of our success in articulating a clear and bold vision and mission, and in pursuing our goals through highly intentional and agile strategies.
VisitDallas curates the Dallas experience for visitors
VisitDallas, the sales and marketing organization for the city of Dallas, is a pioneer in the destination marketing organization (DMO) space, leading the way in shaping the visitor experience for travelers of all kinds.
Texas A&M free speech policies garner national recognition
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) recently awarded Texas A&M University with its highest possible rating for free speech policies, making the campus the first and only university in the state to earn the distinction.
Put the health back into health care
Patient care in Texas is at a critical crossroads. Let us choose the right path forward.
It’s time for a “moonshot” to fix rural healthcare in Texas
They grow the food we eat. They farm the materials for the clothes we wear. They provide the energy that drives our cities. These are the rural Texans we love and idealize. But we overlook a serious reality: Rural healthcare delivery systems are either on life support or nonexistent.
Don’t blow it: Unregulated wind farms encroach on pristine Texas wilderness
The Devils River Conservancy, is spearheading the “Don’t Blow It” campaign to advocate for thoughtful regulation of wind energy development — an industry quickly expanding in rural Texas, largely without rules and with serious negative implications for Texans.
The Value of the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) Program
The beginning of the spring semester on college campuses and the opening of the Texas legislative session offer a great opportunity to share the remarkable success story that is the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) program.
Cracking the code. Transforming health in Texas.
UT Southwestern uses new technology to open the door to erasing disease-causing mutations in our DNA.
A digital literacy update for Texas
Technology has the ability to help personalize the educational experience and teachers’ instruction of classroom material—matching students’ interests and goals with their abilities. A growing effort is underfoot to ensure that technology is used in such a way that every Texas student’s educational needs are being more fully met.
Change to Scale Will Let Free Market Drive New Power Generation
Allowing the PUC to modify the Operating Reserve Demand Curve will actually cost consumers little and help the state maintain a supply of reliable energy to match Texas’ rapid growth.
Don’t let the Legislature waste your time
Hundreds of bills have already been filed for the 86th Legislature, with more being added each day. With BillsUpNow, advocates, lobbyists and policy enthusiasts can easily stay up to date on every bill that matters to them.
Preserving the legacy of George H.W. Bush at Texas A&M
After helping the nation say goodbye to George H.W. Bush, Texas A&M University will now play a role in preserving and growing the legacy of President George H.W. Bush.
inLieu: Give the gift of giving back.
inLieu…a mobile first app that enables users to donate inLieu of giving material gifts.
Growing more food with less water
Irrigated agriculture is essential to growing our economy, farms and the future. Discover the significant strides farmers are making in water and natural resources conservation to benefit the lives of Texans. The initiative is a partnership between Texas Corn Producers and USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas. Water Grows… Let’s make it last!
Family caregivers save Texas billions of dollars
The value provided by these unpaid family caregivers is greater than the entire Texas Medicaid program — federal and state spending combined.
Texas students deserve a STEM education second to none
Second place in best states for business? If Texas wants to be No. 1, the solution lies in our classrooms.
How Austin’s INTERA engages its millennial employees
INTERA has seen an influx of young workers and Lavenue now has the duty of retaining and engaging young employees, as INTERA did with him.
Texas film industry future in the hands of the Legislature
Texas film industry at a production crossroads. The 86th Legislative Session will lay the groundwork for the success or failure of the future of film production in Texas.
There was a wave, and it was pro-public education
The election results were clear: the wave that mattered was a bipartisan, pro-public education wave.
WGU Texas helps students achieve dreams of completing a college degree
WGU Texas is breaking down the traditional obstacles to a college degree by redefining the student experience.
Holdsworth Center Groundbreaking: A New Vision for the Future of School Leadership
Charles Butt, Chairman and CEO of H-E-B, has strengthened his commitment to public education in Texas as construction begins on a 44-acre lakefront campus for The Holdsworth Center.
Baylor University’s path to research excellence
When I returned to Baylor University in 2017 to begin serving as president, after having been away from Texas in leadership roles at other universities for 15 years, I was impressed to find that Baylor had grown and developed in remarkable ways while still maintaining its heart and soul as an unambiguously Christian university. Today, after more than a year as president, I believe Baylor’s increasingly national reputation for excellence in teaching and research, combined with our strong Christian commitment places us in a distinctive and promising position within American higher education.
Texas is rural; rural is Texas.
In July 2017, a group of funders convened to consider how, working together, we might bring additional attention and resources to areas of rural Texas. The Texas Rural Funders Collaborative (TRFC) is made up of private foundations, community foundations and health-conversion foundations. We represent a variety of interests. But our shared belief is that the health of our state depends upon the success of all of its communities, and that urban and rural areas are inextricably linked.
Making Texas resilient is a moonshot goal
Scientists expect an increase in extreme weather, while the state’s population is doubling. Doing something about it is a grand challenge.
What BCBSTX learned from Hurricane Harvey insurance claims
Data paints instructive healthcare picture for post-storm discussion
Texas homeowners are earning extra income renting to travelers
Vacation rental leader VRBO reports some Texas rentals are making up to $5,400 per month.
Assisted living facilities left residents adrift during Hurricane Harvey
State leaders, assisted living facility operators and the public should learn the lessons of Hurricane Harvey to avoid making the same mistakes.
Even in an emergency, you have care options
Addressing out-of-network ER care issues in Texas requires a collective effort on the part of payers, providers and patients. Whispering in the shadows about one of healthcare’s open secrets – out-of-network emergency care – won’t solve the issue.
Texas A&M partners to rethink Alzheimer's
More than five million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. How we find a cure is one of the most vexing questions faced by the medical world.
A search for safer water
There is no limit to the distance Aggies will go to help those in need. During his holiday break, environmental geosciences major Brian Lynch ’19, together with geology and geophysics doctoral student Yibin Huang, joined researchers and professors from Texas A&M and the University of Guanajuato to study vulnerable mountain aquifers in Mexico.
Improved access to primary care in Texas is within reach
In recognition of National Nurses Week (May 6-12) and the important role that nurses play in the delivery of health care, it’s time to reflect on the constraints that Texas is placing on a profession that is consistently rated the most trusted in America.
Is the American dream a mirage for today's youth?
Over the past half-century, children’s prospects of earning more than their parents have fallen from 90 percent to 50 percent, according to the Equality of Opportunity Project. In his book “Dream Hoarders,” Dr. Richard Reeves cites extensive research showing that the top 20 percent of income earners have pulled further away from the bottom 80 percent on multiple fronts, from educational attainment to health and longevity. What implications does this widening inequity have on American society, prosperity and economic growth?
Powering The Future
There’s one source of clean energy that could power the earth for an unlimited amount of time: the sun. Unfortunately, harnessing its power through fusion has proven to be a daunting, near-impossible task because there have been no materials that could survive the conditions at the core of a fusion reactor. Until now.
Ship Pilots Put Safety, Security of Texas Ports First
Ship pilots have played a critical role in American commerce almost from our country’s beginnings. But the stakes of what today’s ship pilots are protecting have never been higher.
Texas must prepare for this deadly storm now
Like a storm system that takes shape offshore and gains momentum as it moves toward one’s home, the nationwide opioid crisis has made landfall in Texas and is predicted to take a terrible toll in lives lost before it’s over.
Bring down utility rates under new federal tax law
Utility regulators in Texas have been sending positive signs they will make sure consumers get their fair share of savings from the recent corporate tax cuts — but let’s hold the applause until we start seeing lower monthly bills. For the sake of millions of families, this needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Hungry for an economic future
How can Texans succeed in today's challenging economy? The answer is flexible education options. Pearson is partnering with local Texas businesses to create flexible learning pathways for employees.
Helping children find their voice
Texas A&M University is dedicated to transformational learning through innovative solutions, and that starts with the youngest among us.
Aggies secure web for all
From protecting mobile technology and making smart cars smarter, to strengthening our national defenses, Aggies are expanding our cybersecurity capabilities and making the innovative contributions our society needs.
Choice and opportunity thriving in Texas public schools
From dual-language and STEM to internships and early college programs, public school districts across Texas are offering families innovative choices to personalize education and engage students, leading to higher achievement and post-secondary success.
The Hackett Center for Mental Health will put sound policy into practice
The Houston and Gulf Coast region has faced a harrowing set of challenges over the past year, with Hurricane Harvey leaving much more than just physical damage in its wake. Such disasters can have lasting and harmful effects on the mental health of children, youth, and adults, which is why it's time to improve mental health access and quality in Harris County and the region.
Are you making the most of your cash?
Good financial health for your business means striking the right balance, with readily accessible cash, cash invested for returns and credit leveraged to augment your cash flow.
Separating fact from fiction on drug costs
Managing increasing healthcare costs is an important societal issue that policymakers need to pay attention to. However, policymakers can only implement effective solutions by using correct data in order to assess the root cause of the problem.
Shelter in the storm: Lifesaving Hurricane Harvey stories
These “islands of humanity” gave people hope, shelter and the essential medical care they needed during one of America’s most devastating natural disasters.
Succession planning: What’s your exit strategy?
What you should know about creating a business succession plan.
New Texas legislation protects health care consumers
While much was discussed and debated during the 85th Texas Legislative session, two important and successfully passed bills will help protect Texas healthcare consumers from the outrageous costs and confusion associated with freestanding emergency rooms.
Insurers are working around the clock to help policyholders
Insurers and policymakers need to work together to spread more awareness about the need for adequate flood insurance coverage.
The making of the five former presidents PSAs for Harvey/Irma
Along with the rest of America, as the five former living presidents individually watched Hurricane Harvey pound the Texas Gulf Coast and the approaching Hurricane Irma, they decided that they must answer the call and collectively do something to help — immediately.
Doing What’s Right for Texas Business & Our Families
The work is challenging and the conversations can be difficult, but that’s always been the case. And, we’re not backing down from our work to foster an open, welcoming and inclusive state for businesses, their employees and their families.
How can we create transparent drug pricing?
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates prescription drug spending will grow an average of 6.3 percent annually over the 2016-2025 period.
Bathroom Bill: Bad for business, bad for Texas
The bathroom bill doesn’t improve safety. The bathroom bill hinders economic growth, community, business development and Texas’ overall ability to stay competitive in the search for the kind of diverse, smart talent that moves our state forward.
For this Texan, grocery access is a life or death situation
During June, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, the AHA is encouraging Americans to add color to their meals throughout the month as part of its Healthy For Good™ movement.
What you should know about freestanding emergency centers
As the number of independent, non-hospital-affiliated FECs grows in Texas, it’s important that patients understand the differences between the various emergency care options.
85th Legislature: Improving the Texas state of mind
Texas’ crumbling state hospitals will soon see additional funding. Senate Bill 1, the state budget, includes $160 million for critical repairs and deferred maintenance at existing state hospitals and state supported living centers.
The heart of Baylor University
As reflected in our motto, Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana — “For church, For Texas” — the heart of Baylor is a steadfast commitment to prepare students to contribute to society and the greater good.
Bill to support jail diversion programs will change lives and communities
Both SB 292 and HB 12 promote use of the most current knowledge and best practices in behavioral health to target these highest-risk individuals, direct them to the most effective interventions and services and hold local systems accountable for results.
Wanted: Faculty to teach 1.2 million missing nurses
TWU has a long history preparing the nurse faculty workforce in the state, providing 24 percent of all Texas nursing doctoral degrees from four-year public universities. Recruiting nurse educators should start in the undergraduate experience, instilling dedication and commitment to the profession.
Succession planning: What’s your exit strategy?
What you should know about creating a business succession plan.
Gov. Abbott, let local government address local needs
Counties don't get to choose who moves in and who doesn't. Some Texas counties are among the fastest growing in the nation. Others are losing population and tax base. A one-size-fits-all approach might work in Delaware's three counties, but not in Texas with our 254 counties.
Not up for debate: Senior Texans deserve better solutions
Texas lawmakers should step up on nursing home care.
Lady Bird Johnson Environmental Award to Ken Burns
The Lady Bird Johnson Environment Award honors outstanding achievements in the preservation, restoration or improvement of the natural world that embrace Mrs. Johnson's style, energy and commitment to her work.
Five key areas of investment in Title IX
At Baylor, we have more than doubled both our counseling center’s physical space and clinical staff, an investment of close to $1 million in additional annual budget resources, which has resulted in expanded services to students, further specialized training for staff and enhanced mental healthcare options for our students.
When storm-chasing lawyers win, Texans lose
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) found that lawsuits take seven times longer to resolve than regular insurance claims; that’s close to two years to resolve what would normally take 90 days through the regular insurance claims process.
Texas State Technical College grads narrow state skills gap
TSTC is so confident in the quality of its technical education programs that it now guarantees its graduates will find a job within six months of graduation — or their money back.
Access to higher education produces a better Texas workforce
For students with work and family responsibilities, the constraints of location and time can result in either very slow progress towards a degree or having to drop out. Online offerings can help, enabling students to progress towards the attainment of skills needed for bettering their futures through education.
Budget provision limits emergency care options for state employees
Freestanding ERs are crucial. They improve access to care by offering patients alternative settings to overcrowded hospital-based emergency rooms.
Ambassadors for the Baylor mission
Nothing will ever be more important than doing the right thing, day after day, on and off the field.
Collaborative pathways to nursing success for Texas
According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, demand for full-time registered nurses exceeds supply by more than 20,000
The millennial opportunity for Texas
The organizations that best understand and adapt to America’s largest living generation today will have the top talent, the best leaders and the most engaged customers tomorrow.
Surging mental health care capacity for our highest needs children
Mental illness, or “severe emotional disturbance” as it is generally called in childhood, is more common among children and youth than many believe. In fact, the most rigorous research available shows definitively that approximately half of all mental illnesses begin by age 14.
If hypocrisy and fake facts prevail, senior Texans will be the losers
There is a funding crisis for long-term care in Texas and everyone wants to see the best quality of care in the state’s nursing homes.
Texas Motion Pictures supports Texas jobs
TXMPA is proud to educate the general public on the history of the media industry in Texas and support a strong community of industry professionals.
Expedited licensing will help bring qualified psychiatrists to Texas
For a psychiatrist who is a U.S. graduate with impeccably clean paperwork, transferring a medical license to Texas can take nine months or longer.
Parents have the freedom to make informed decisions around quality of care
There is an opportunity in Texas to focus on the role that these providers play in promoting wellness and shaping our youth, and a benefit to recognizing for licensed providers that are committed to promoting evidence-based standards.
Guardianship oversight in Texas needs to be strengthened
There are approximately 55,000 active guardianships in Texas today, with $5 billion in assets under the control of guardians and the courts. And the numbers are rising.
Addressing campus safety
Community That Cares is just one of many measures that UTA has taken to address and decrease sexual assault and misconduct incidents on campus.
Tornado researchers return to southeast for Vortex-SE
A team of Texas Tech researchers will spend two months in the Southeast collecting meteorological data in hopes of determining the specific conditions that produce tornadoes in that region of the country.
Legislation to protect Texans from “surprise bills” at freestanding emergency rooms
Imagine walking into a freestanding emergency room because you have a cough. Imagine walking out with a prescription and a bill for over $3,000. Although this seems like a nightmare, it has been a reality for thousands of Texans over the past several years.
Powering the Texas workforce
The future of Texas is dependent on an educated and well-trained workforce that can compete for jobs by offering employers what they need most — degrees and skills.
What’s in a NFRA? A granny tax
Taxing nursing homes or residents does nothing to improve quality, and in fact may take necessary resources away from our most vulnerable population.
“Super utilizers” are people
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute reject any language that refers to people by the costs or level of their service needs.
Texas franchised dealer system good for Texas and Texans
The franchised dealer system successfully promotes competition, protects consumers and benefits communities throughout Texas.
Insurance-driven “fail first” policy hurts patients, undermines doctors
Our elected leaders should ensure that doctors, not insurance companies, remain in charge when it comes to prescribing medicines for Texas Medicaid patients.
UTA keeps exceeding its own expectations
UTA’s growing student population can be attributed to our tremendously talented and dedicated faculty, enhanced outreach efforts and strong academic advising, which are attracting more high-achieving student to pursue their dreams at UTA.
Access and Coverage Should Remain the Nation’s Health Care Goals
In a time of uncertainty for health care in the United States, let’s take a moment to list the fundamental areas on which we should be able to agree.
Keep the promise on Transportation Funding
Now during this tough budget year it is not clear whether the 85th Legislature will keep the promise to put all the money toward highways.
Freestanding ERs: Astronomical costs and statistics tell the real story
Freestanding ERs are not attached to hospitals and in most instances are not a part of a hospital’s network of services or providers.
Make Texas nursing homes safe
When making the difficult decision to place a loved one in a nursing home, family members deserve to know that the facility is adequately regulated to ensure their loved one is safe and in good custody. In Texas today, those assurances don’t exist.
Protecting access to prescriptions is critical to patient “comebacks”
Healthcare professionals and patients should not have to jump through burdensome administrative hoops to secure the most appropriate therapeutic options.
Small class size at Harris County Department of Education’s special school broadens student’s future
Harris County Department of Education helps school districts in the state’s largest county meet the needs of uniquely challenged learners, directly serving students at their schools or one of four HCDE-operated campuses across the county.
School leadership reimagined: IDEA’s principal-in-residence program
The path to expansion and real change starts with IDEA’s principals who, more than anyone else, help ensure exceptional teaching and learning in every classroom.
Texas Counties deliver effective, efficient, local solutions
The Texas Counties Deliver public education campaign is a project of the Texas Association of Counties, the representative voice for all Texas counties and county officials.
Disability community’s top priorities impact all Texans
Let’s hope the Texas Legislature takes steps to address these most critical concerns that impact not only the disability community but also all of us, as taxpayers and Texans
Educating a Skilled, workforce ready Texas at an affordable cost
An education that provides access to a wide range of Texans, ensures workforce-ready knowledge, skills development and diversity and is accompanied by the lowest average student debt makes a powerful combination.
Building innovation to drive health care solutions
Innovation is more than just a buzzword, more than just a reference to the latest and greatest technology. An innovative mindset is critical to many industries — especially health care, where costs continue to climb.
Every minute spent caring for Texans is a minute that matters
Growing state and federal government regulations and insurance company mandates directly affect the practice of medicine.
It’s time to act on Texas opioid crisis
Texas must improve prescription monitoring to curb patient abuse and adopt tough penalties to address crime assault on pharmacies
Corporate California wants to call the shots for Texas car buyers
When manufacturers compete to make the best product and dealers compete to offer the best pricing and service, the ultimate winner is the Texas family.
Freestanding emergency centers: a solution to health care challenges
FECs can increase access to care, improve patient outcomes and reduce health care costs.
Give Texas nurses full authority to heal
Let’s help improve access to affordable care in a smart way that makes sense for Texas. Let’s change how we regulate advanced practice nursing.
Overcoming grief and anger with Harris County Department of Education’s help
A low teacher-to-student ratio, along with a personalized plan for social and academic reform, helps students become successful.
The Texas Legislature can end surprise medical bills
Unexpected medical bills can drive families into bankruptcy even if they are insured, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
Texas nursing homes are at the tipping point
Ensuring the necessary resources and funding for those who built this great state should be a top priority — even when the budget is tight.
Land trusts preserve Texas for future generations
With your help, we can do even more to preserve the lands we call home and the water we depend on.
Realize the true value of your business
Learn more about middle market best practices that close the valuation gap.
Texas health care innovation and care on right track
We should keep our Medicaid program as it is: serving patients and protecting equal access.
Angelica finally thrives at Harris County Department of Education's school
No school seemed right for Angelica Garcia – until her district enrolled her in HCDE’s Academic Behavior School West for developmentally disabled students.
The millennial opportunity for Texas
The organizations that best understand and adapt to America’s largest living generation today will have the top talent, the best leaders and the most engaged customers tomorrow.
How Harris County Department of Education helped Kyle land his dream job
Unless you or your child has had direct experience with school-based therapy in Texas, you probably don’t think much about the challenges that schools face to provide quality occupational and physical therapy to students who need it.
Pearson provides 2016 election analysis for higher ed educators
Check out Pearson’s political science and American government webinars centered on professional development opportunities for educators.
When it comes to right medicines in Medicaid, let doctors, not insurance companies, decide
Some insurance companies are already signaling that they again will attempt to take doctors and other health care providers out of the driver’s seat when it comes to determining which medicines Medicaid patients can receive.
Containing health care costs: four tips for Texas businesses
National health spending is projected to grow at an average rate of 5.8 percent per year through 2024 to more than $5.4 trillion. And more than $1 trillion of that figure is expected to come from the pockets of private businesses.
Affirmative action is always 13 years too late for those it's intended to help
For the millions facing these odds, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin to uphold UT’s affirmative action program blesses an effort that comes 13 years too late. What our minority students really need and deserve is a better K-12 education.
Texting while driving – it definitely can wait
It is going to take more than just scientific studies and education campaigns — it is time Texas takes up the banner of safety by passing a distracted driving law that will cover the entire state.
What can Texas Capitalism do for your business?
It’s what happens when determination puts on its boots. It turns potential into resolve, “What if?” into “Let’s do this.”
Art Can help your child succeed in school and in life
One proven strategy that can help our students advance is increasing access to quality arts instruction throughout their elementary, middle and high school years.
How hashtags changed the world
Learn how #hashtags have changed the way people talk, advertise, source content, advocate and more.
Reimagining Houston’s Convention District
Come experience a unique and welcoming destination that mixes Texas culture and Southern charm.
The right prescription for Texas
Texans deserve to have the right medicines at the right time, based on their doctors’ recommendations, and they should be able to access those medicines regardless of the neighborhood they live in or what plan covers them.
Making cents of health care costs: the rising reality
Health care spending in the United States has reached a new all-time high. During this critical time, it's important to learn where health care dollars are going and how to save on expensive medical costs.
The looming fiscal cliff for Texas hospitals
The consequences of not increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates and reducing the number of uninsured are not theoretical. The good news is the Legislature knows ahead of time what it needs to do, and it can act to avoid the looming fiscal cliff.
Texas needs better protection for at-risk kids
It is better for Texas to protect high-risk children and adolescents before they enter institutionalized systems.
Teachers are key to Texas’ future
Through our LearningU initiative, the Texas A&M University System is taking responsibility and doubling down on our commitment to support the in-service teachers of today and prepare the teachers of tomorrow.
Does your business need a new website?
How do you decide your company’s website is in need of a little revamp? Here are a few key components to consider for starters.
Can there be a North American Century?
Are the forces too great to make that happen? Or can the three nations of North America enact policies that will make for a stronger continent? And what would those policies entail?
Medical innovation: a policy priority in Texas
Ultimately, a thriving collaborative environment is what will put us on an accelerated path to advance cancer prevention and control, early detection and treatment in Texas and around the world.
I’m living proof: Walmart believes and invests in its workforce
I am proud to be part of a company that demonstrates every day a commitment to improve the lives and careers of people in my community.
Sale of Oncor is a bad bet for Texans
The sale is merely a transfer of wealth from millions of Texas ratepayers to the suit pockets of hedge fund managers and bankers.
Moving Texas high-speed rail forward
Texas Central, a privately-owned, Texas-based company developing a landmark high-speed rail project in our state, is moving with momentum into 2016.
Fueling the health of our energy workforce
Without the benefits of a routine, the 286,000 Texans in the oil and gas industry may struggle to establish healthy patterns in their lives.
Support of higher education leads to Nobel endeavors
Dr. Sancar’s achievement exemplifies the catalytic effects and long-term exponential returns that investment in higher education can generate.
Oncor sale raises warning signs for millions of Texas utility ratepayers
The deal under consideration by the Texas Public Utility Commission is a potentially dangerous one for consumers for generations to come.
The Minstrel Show Revisited confronts past and present manifestations of racism in America
The Minstrel Show Revisited is a critique of the 19th century black-faced entertainment genre whose legacy is still felt today and continues to play a significant role in black stereotyping.
Depression is more prevalent, costly and treatable than you think
Depression does not have to control a person’s life; with proper treatment and support, Texans struggling with depression can manage their symptoms and live full and fulfilling lives.
New law helps Texans challenge surprise medical bills
Based on consumer complaints in Texas and throughout the nation, it’s clear that surprise medical billing — what’s known as “balance billing” — is not uncommon.
Texas' top health agency needs fresh focus on aging
With 10,000 people turning 65 every day in the U.S. and the Texas state demographer projecting that the number of people age 65 and older will triple by 2050, the need for a focus on aging is obvious.
Latino health care: turning barriers into bridges
Texas continues to experience dynamic growth, especially among Latinos. With this dramatic change come new and complex issues related to health care and access disparities.
Why college students shouldn’t wait to start a business
There's no time to wait. We must step up to help our students enter the business arena.
5 things employers should know about private health exchanges
Online shopping continues to grow in popularity across the nation, and Texans are starting to incorporate it into how they purchase health insurance.
50 years later, working to fortify LBJ's legacy
Medicare’s golden anniversary is a cause for celebration and reflection, but it's also a time to think about how we can ensure that the program continues to fulfill its essential role.
What we've learned about high school equivalency
Options for earning a high school credential have changed, but the outcomes are the same — obtaining this credential is necessary to ensuring students a more secure future.
10 things to know about high school equivalency
Certification of high school-level skills is the linchpin for many Texans’ ability to obtain better employment, education opportunities and a source of personal pride.
The case for integrated mental and primary care
We need to reorient our health care delivery systems to better train and incentivize practitioners to deliver integrated behavioral and primary care.
In Central Texas, a treasure trove for nature lovers
Spring Lake in San Marcos offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity for people of all ages to reconnect with nature in Texas.
Ensuring a great quality of life for Texas' elderly
Texas is not prepared on a number of levels to keep the promise to its aging residents. We need to change that.
We must address Texas' behavioral health emergency
The costs of mental health disorders on Texans and their families and on taxpayers in our state are too high to ignore.
Bringing Texans closer to their grocer
Investment in grocery access alone won’t solve the obesity crisis, but it's a step in the right direction to stimulate economic growth and stem the tide of diet-related chronic disease.
Promoting smart justice for the mentally ill
Two bills under consideration in the Legislature offer a basic but significant way to reduce recidivism rates among the mentally ill in Texas jails.
Empowering Texas doctors to provide first-class care
TMA PracticeEdge, LLC, helps empower a strong base of independent physicians to provide quality, cost-effective care to their patients.
Texans are helping the world fight tuberculosis
Millions of people throughout the world die each year from tuberculosis. Researchers at one Texas university are working to prevent that.
Texas knows how to solve health care problems
Hospitals are once again struggling to maintain services and, in some cases, stay open at all. A solution exists. Texas just needs to adopt it.
For long-term care, Medicaid funding is key
Medicaid payment reform for skilled nursing care is crucial in retooling our health delivery infrastructure to better serve our elderly loved ones.
Fixing Medicaid requires state investment
Medicaid isn't perfect. But the cure for what ails it is investment, not neglect.
Underfunding mental health costs Texans big
Properly funded care is the most cost-effective form of mental health treatment. A recent survey reveals that many Texans agree, indicating a new era for mental health in Texas.
Can big data lead to transparency in higher ed?
As The Texas A&M University System tackles Texas' higher education challenges head-on, we see an opportunity to lead on transparency and accountability.
Franchised dealership laws are good for Texas
Texas' motor vehicle franchise laws protect free-market principles. Exceptions for special interests are a threat to consumers.
Forging an innovative path on health care
We should look to other states to find new health care solutions that can be used to develop a uniquely Texan coverage plan.
On health care, Texas can do better
By leveraging the strengths of the private health insurance market, Texas can reduce the number of uninsured citizens while holding on to its conservative values.
How to elevate quality of care for Texas seniors
Texas leads the nation on so many fronts, from a thriving economy to lower taxes. It’s time we work together to make Texas a leader in long-term care.
Special exceptions are not how Texas does business
Tesla operates on special rules and handouts. We simply don’t believe that’s how Texas should do business.
Why Texas needs more women in STEM
For Texas to remain one of the nation's high-tech leaders, we must actively work to build a science, technology, engineering and math workforce that better reflects our population.
How to best serve Texans this legislative session
Focusing on issues affecting citizens age 50 and up will be key to making this a great legislative session for Texas.
A healthy vision for Texas
A strong health care system is critical to all Texans' physical and economic health. That's why the government must make it easier for physicians to care for their patients.
Working locally to make Texas more livable for all ages
There are incredible opportunities in Texas to disrupt aging by developing our cities and towns into even greater places to live our best lives.
How to fight rising health care costs in Texas
Many factors play a role in rising health costs, including the misuse of emergency care. But firmer regulations and a little education can help minimize the impact.
Right past wrongs to prepare for a globalized future
Our nation should leverage the immense opportunities that come with its rich racial, ethnic and religious diversity.
Raising the bar for customer service in health care
This month, St. David’s HealthCare became one of only four organizations in the U.S. to receive the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence.
Texas caregivers need our support
Family caregivers provide unpaid care worth an estimated $34 billion per year in Texas alone. The breadth and enormity of these caregivers’ daily tasks deserve our heartfelt recognition.
Honoring veterans in ways both big and small
Veterans don't ask for our gratitude, but recognizing their service is the least we can do to show our appreciation for their commitment to our country.
Financial security begins with a plan of action
A third of all Texans say they're anxious about their financial futures. That's troubling, especially for women. But there's help out there.
How to better serve English-language learners
The assessment system used to assess language proficiency in Texas schools has many strong points, but there's room for improvement.
Preschool for all?
Texas — and every state — needs to focus its attention on high-quality pre-kindergarten education, delivered through a system of public and private partnerships.
Fixing what’s wrong with testing in K-12 education
Done right, assessment can be a positive force for teaching and learning.
The whole family, one waiting room
The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences' "One Health" approach is reimagining human and animal health care in Texas.
A new way to support Texas veterans
Texans can donate to veterans when applying for or renewing driver's licenses.
Texans don’t let Texans drive on aging roads
As Congress grapples with how to solve the latest shortfall in the nation’s Highway Trust Fund, Texans will have a unique opportunity in November to improve our roads right here at home.
Reforming Medicaid in light of ACA expansion
The unintended consequences of the Medicaid aspect of the Affordable Care Act are analyzed by Texas A&M University economics professors.
Heart attack: the widow maker
By expanding systems of care for the deadliest form of heart attacks, we can save lives and improve outcomes.
The real meaning of Memorial Day
This Memorial Day, the Texas Veterans Commission is asking you to take a moment of remembrance at 3 p.m. for one minute.
Disruptive change benefits industry and customers
Disruptive forces are at work on the energy industry’s business model. CPS Energy is embracing the changes.