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See the bills that have become law. <i class="session-arrow fa fa-angle-double-right"></i></p></a> </section> <main class="main-container"> <section class="body-main"> <section> <header class="page-header"> <h2> <img class="graphic header" src="/web/20150623005909im_/http://txlege.texastribune.org/static/images/icons/health-and-human-services.svg"> Health & Human Services </h2> <p class="sub-text">Browse the issues we’re following that are related to health & human services. To see what we’re following in other categories, go <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/">here</a>.</p> </header> <div class="share-page"> <ul> <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a45090f18101f190e472e121f5f484a2e1f021b095f484a2e0813180f141f5f484d095f484a2e1f021b095f484a361f1d1309161b0e130c1f5f484a3d0f131e1f5fX3A%20Health%20%26%20Human%20Services&body=I%20read%20about%20a%20topic%20that%20you%20might%20be%20interested%20in%20at%20The%20Texas%20Tribune%3A%20Health%20%26%20Human%20Services%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/"> <li class="email"><i class="fa fa-envelope"></i></li> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Check%20out%20%40TexasTribune%E2%80%99s%20list%20of%20the%20top%20health%20%26%20human%20services%20issues%20for%20the%2084th%20%23txlege%20http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org%2Ftopics%2Fhealth-and-human-services%2F" title="share on Twitter" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <li class="twitter"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i></li> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=154122474650943&display=popup&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org%2Ftopics%2Fhealth-and-human-services%2F&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org%2Ftopics%2Fhealth-and-human-services%2F" title="share on Facebook" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <li class="facebook"><i class="fa fa-facebook"></i></li> </a> </ul> </div> </section> <div class="ad-container banner-ad top" id="div-gpt-ad-1406570316312-0"> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1406570316312-0'); }); </script> </div> <section> <article class="top-issues"> <header> <h2 class="sub-section-header">Top issues</h2> </header> <ul class="serif"> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/#consolidating-texas-health-agencies">Consolidating Texas’ health agencies</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/#addressing-a-physician-shortage">Addressing a physician shortage</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/#medicaid-expansion-or-its-alternatives">Medicaid expansion or its alternatives</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/#reforming-end-of-life-care">Reforming end-of-life care</a></li> </ul> </article> <article class="curator-list"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Curated by</h5> </header> <div class="curated-by"> <img clas="headshot" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909im_/http://s3.amazonaws.com/static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Alexa_jpg_131x197_crop_q100.jpg"> <p class="emphasis">Alexa Ura</p> <p class="sub-text"></p> </div> <div class="curated-by"> <img clas="headshot" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909im_/http://s3.amazonaws.com/static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Edgar_1_jpg_131x197_crop_q100.jpg"> <p class="emphasis">Edgar Walters</p> <p class="sub-text"></p> </div> </article> </section> <section class="issue-box"> <section class="issue-prose"> <header id="consolidating-texas-health-agencies"> <h3 class="issue-card-title"> <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/consolidating-texas-health-agencies/">Consolidating Texas’ health agencies</a> </h3> </header> <p>The Sunset Advisory Commission recommended that lawmakers in 2015 consolidate the state’s five health departments into one “mega-agency,” a move the commission said would make Texas’ health bureaucracy less fragmented and more efficient. Kyle Janek, executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), endorsed the recommendation.</p><p>But after a contracting scandal rocked HHSC early in the session, lawmakers slowed their roll. Instead, they decided to only partially consolidate the state’s health and human services system. </p><p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/SB200/">Senate Bill 200</a> by state Sen. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/directory/jane-nelson/">Jane Nelson</a>, R-Flower Mound, combines three of the state’s five health and human services agencies — the Health and Human Services Commission, the Department of Aging and Disability Services, and the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. A recommendation to also consolidate the two other agencies — the Department of State Health Services and the Department of Family and Protective Services — would be left to lawmakers to consider next session.</p><p> </p> <p class="update-time">Updated: May 28, 2015</p> <section class="related-legislation"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Relevant legislation</h5> </header> <ul class="sans"> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/HB2304/">HB 2304</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/SB200/">SB 200</a></li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="related-content"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Story timeline</h5> </header> <ul class="story-timeline"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/24/texas-house-approves-partial-consolidation-agencie/">Texas House Approves Partial Consolidation of Agencies</a> <p class="pub-date">May 24, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/27/committee-considers-partial-consolidation-health-a/">Health Agency Mergers Get House Look</a> <p class="pub-date">April 27, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/23/public-health-bill-morphs-heated-abortion-debate-h/">Health Agency Bill Pulled Amid Heated Abortion Debate</a> <p class="pub-date">April 23, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/15/post-scandal-senators-approve-partial-mega-agency/">Senators Approve Partial Consolidation of Health Agencies</a> <p class="pub-date">April 15, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/13/senate-votes-close-austin-institution/">Senate Votes to Close Austin Institution</a> <p class="pub-date">April 13, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/07/amid-criticism-uncertainty-lingers-over-health-com/">Uncertainty Haunts Health Commissioner Kyle Janek</a> <p class="pub-date">April 7, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/25/abbott-foster-care-agency-get-your-act-together/">Abbott to Foster Care Agency: Get Your Act Together</a> <p class="pub-date">March 25, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/18/after-scandal-lawmakers-change-gears-health-agency/">Post-Scandal, Lawmakers Changing Gears on Health Agency</a> <p class="pub-date">March 19, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/04/senate-health-committee-talks-contracts-consolidat/">Senate Health Committee Talks Contracts, Consolidation</a> <p class="pub-date">Feb. 4, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/04/echoes-fights-past-health-agency-consolidation/">Echoes of Fights Past in Health Agency Consolidation</a> <p class="pub-date">Feb. 4, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/01/27/four-things-know-about-new-health-budget/">The Health Care Budget: Four Things to Know</a> <p class="pub-date">Jan. 27, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/01/14/lawmakers-scold-health-agency-amid-contracting-fal/">Abbott Calls for Independent HHSC Review</a> <p class="pub-date">Jan. 14, 2015</p> </li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="share-box"> <p class="sub-text">Share this issue: <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4f703c3a2d252a2c3b721b272a6a7d7f1b2a372e3c6a7d7f1b3d262d3a212a6a7d7f20216a7d7f3b272a6a7d7f777b3b276a7d7f032a282a756a7d7f0c20213c2023Xidating%20Texas%E2%80%99%20health%20agencies&body=I%20read%20about%20an%20issue%20that%20you%20might%20be%20interested%20in%20at%20The%20Texas%20Tribune:%20Consolidating%20Texas%E2%80%99%20health%20agencies%20%0D%0Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/consolidating-texas-health-agencies/"> <i class="fa fa-envelope"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Issues%20of%20the%2084th%20%23txlege%3A%20Consolidating%20Texas%E2%80%99%20health%20agencies%20http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/consolidating-texas-health-agencies/&via=texastribune" title="share on Twitter" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-twitter"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=154122474650943&display=popup&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/consolidating-texas-health-agencies/&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org" title="share on Facebook" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-facebook"></i> </a> </p> </section> <section class="issue-box"> <section class="issue-prose"> <header id="addressing-a-physician-shortage"> <h3 class="issue-card-title"> <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/addressing-a-physician-shortage/">Addressing a physician shortage</a> </h3> </header> <p>Texas lawmakers invested millions of additional dollars in the 2013 legislative session to address a looming physician shortage, and this session was no different.</p><p>Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 18, which creates more residency slots for medical students to alleviate the state’s physician shortage. It also instructs the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board to incentivize teaching hospitals to create residency programs and increase funding for programs for primary care doctors in rural areas.</p><p>The measure creates a $300 million endowment to pay for the programs in future years.</p><p>But legislative budget writers did not boost payments to primary care doctors who see patients on Medicaid, the joint federal-state insurer of last resort for the poor and disabled. In Texas, physician groups say Medicaid pays significantly below the cost of treating patients, making it unappealing for doctors to treat people in the program — and serving as a disincentive to go into the field. </p> <p class="update-time">Updated: May 28, 2015</p> <section class="related-legislation"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Relevant legislation</h5> </header> <ul class="sans"> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/HB1445/">HB 1445</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/HB1489/">HB 1489</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/SB18/">SB 18</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/SB56/">SB 56</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/SB1397/">SB 1397</a></li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="related-content"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Story timeline</h5> </header> <ul class="story-timeline"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/20/committee-approves-health-and-human-services-budge/">More Pay for Medicaid Dollars Lost in Budget Deal</a> <p class="pub-date">May 20, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/21/doc-fighting-bills-would-change-scope-medical-prac/">Bills on Medical Authority Spark More Doc Fights</a> <p class="pub-date">April 21, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/20/rural-hospitals-struggle-keep-their-doors-open/">Rural Hospitals Struggle to Keep Their Doors Open</a> <p class="pub-date">March 20, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/19/fix-medicaid-doctors-say-it-must-pay-out-more/">Doctors: To Fix Medicaid, Increase Payouts </a> <p class="pub-date">Feb. 19, 2015</p> </li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="share-box"> <p class="sub-text">Share this issue: <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fbc4888e99919e988fc6af939edec9cbaf9e839a88dec9cbaf8992998e959edec9cb9495dec9cb8f939edec9cbc3cf8f93dec9cbb79e9c9ec1dec9cbba9f9f899e88Xsing%20a%20physician%20shortage&body=I%20read%20about%20an%20issue%20that%20you%20might%20be%20interested%20in%20at%20The%20Texas%20Tribune:%20Addressing%20a%20physician%20shortage%20%0D%0Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/addressing-a-physician-shortage/"> <i class="fa fa-envelope"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Issues%20of%20the%2084th%20%23txlege%3A%20Addressing%20a%20physician%20shortage%20http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/addressing-a-physician-shortage/&via=texastribune" title="share on Twitter" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-twitter"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=154122474650943&display=popup&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/addressing-a-physician-shortage/&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org" title="share on Facebook" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-facebook"></i> </a> </p> </section> <section class="issue-box"> <section class="issue-prose"> <header id="medicaid-expansion-or-its-alternatives"> <h3 class="issue-card-title"> <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/medicaid-expansion-or-its-alternatives/">Medicaid expansion or its alternatives</a> </h3> </header> <p>Under the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s signature health law, Texas was eligible to receive more than a hundred million federal dollars to put more poor adults onto Medicaid, the joint state-federal insurer of indigent children and the disabled. Republican leaders here said there were too many strings attached, and that Texas would not participate in expanding a “broken” Medicaid system.</p><p>There were no successful legislative efforts in the 2015 session to overrule that sentiment. GOP lawmakers stood firm on that, despite news that billions of federal dollars for hospitals <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/17/feds-warn-texas-expand-medicaid-or-risk-hospital-f/">could be in jeopardy</a> if the state didn't expand Medicaid to cover more low-income Texans. </p><p>A Texas waiver — valued at $29 billion — that provides federal funding for hospitals expires in 2016. Federal officials called the state's health agency in April to say that Texas' reluctance to expand Medicaid <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/17/feds-warn-texas-expand-medicaid-or-risk-hospital-f/">will play into</a> whether they will extend the waiver.</p> <p class="update-time">Updated: May 28, 2015</p> <section class="related-legislation"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Relevant legislation</h5> </header> <ul class="sans"> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/HB116/">HB 116</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/SB89/">SB 89</a></li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="related-content"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Story timeline</h5> </header> <ul class="story-timeline"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/20/closer-look-impact-medicaid-waiver-funds/">With Hospital Funds in Question, Who's at Risk?</a> <p class="pub-date">May 20, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/07/house-budget-writers-consider-health-care-safety-n/">House Budget Writers Consider Health Care Safety Net</a> <p class="pub-date">May 17, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/30/study-texas-rate-uninsured-dropped-31-percent/">Study: Texas' Rate of Uninsured Falls</a> <p class="pub-date">April 30, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/20/hospital-funds-question-abbott-holds-firm-against-/">With Hospital Funds in Question, Abbott Holds Firm Against Medicaid Expansion</a> <p class="pub-date">April 20, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/17/feds-warn-texas-expand-medicaid-or-risk-hospital-f/">Feds Warn Texas: Expand Medicaid or Risk Hospital Funds</a> <p class="pub-date">April 17, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/25/medicaid-shortfall-benefiting-aca-funds/">Obamacare Cash Helps Pay State's Medicaid Bill</a> <p class="pub-date">March 25, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/02/gop-leaders-say-they-wont-expand-medicaid/">GOP Leaders Say They Won't Expand Medicaid</a> <p class="pub-date">March 2, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/10/texas-has-high-stakes-battle-over-health-law/">Texas Has High Stakes in Lawsuit Over Health Law</a> <p class="pub-date">Feb. 10, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/01/27/four-things-know-about-new-health-budget/">The Health Care Budget: Four Things to Know</a> <p class="pub-date">Jan. 27, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/01/16/friends-foes-see-lessons-ar-medicaid-expansion/">Arkansas Medicaid Plan Offers Mixed Lessons</a> <p class="pub-date">Jan. 16, 2015</p> </li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="share-box"> <p class="sub-text">Share this issue: <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2eda1a7b0b8b7b1a6ef86bab7f7e0e286b7aab3a1f7e0e286a0bbb0a7bcb7f7e0e2bdbcf7e0e2a6bab7f7e0e2eae6a6baf7e0e29eb7b5b7e8f7e0e29fb7b6bbb1b3Xid%20expansion%20or%20its%20alternatives&body=I%20read%20about%20an%20issue%20that%20you%20might%20be%20interested%20in%20at%20The%20Texas%20Tribune:%20Medicaid%20expansion%20or%20its%20alternatives%20%0D%0Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/medicaid-expansion-or-its-alternatives/"> <i class="fa fa-envelope"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Issues%20of%20the%2084th%20%23txlege%3A%20Medicaid%20expansion%20or%20its%20alternatives%20http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/medicaid-expansion-or-its-alternatives/&via=texastribune" title="share on Twitter" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-twitter"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=154122474650943&display=popup&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/medicaid-expansion-or-its-alternatives/&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org" title="share on Facebook" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-facebook"></i> </a> </p> </section> <section class="issue-box"> <section class="issue-prose"> <header id="reforming-end-of-life-care"> <h3 class="issue-card-title"> <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/reforming-end-of-life-care/">Reforming end-of-life care</a> </h3> </header> <p>For years, Texas lawmakers have struggled for an answer to a pressing question about end-of-life care: Should families or medical professionals make the final decision to end life-sustaining treatment for a terminally ill patient?</p><p>Some want to prohibit physicians from discontinuing care against a family’s wishes, while others want to give patients and their surrogates more discretion, but preserve a physician’s ability to make a medical judgment to end treatment. Neither side made much progress this session. </p><p>But lawmakers did pass what's referred to as "right to try" legislation, a bill that would allow terminally ill patients who have exhausted other treatment options to try experimental drugs that have passed at least the first of three FDA trial phases.</p> <p class="update-time">Updated: May 28, 2015</p> <section class="related-legislation"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Relevant legislation</h5> </header> <ul class="sans"> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/HB1901/">HB 1901</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/84/bills/HB3183/">HB 3183</a></li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="related-content"> <header> <h5 class="sub-section-header">Story timeline</h5> </header> <ul class="story-timeline"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/21/house-passes-right-try-bill/">House Backs Bill Pushing "Right to Try" Experimental Drugs</a> <p class="pub-date">April 21, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/15/lawmakers-consider-end-life-care-pregnant-women/">Lawmakers Consider End-of-Life Care for Pregnant Women</a> <p class="pub-date">April 15, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/13/senate-votes-close-austin-institution/">Senate Votes to Close Austin Institution</a> <p class="pub-date">April 13, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/12/competing-bills-filed-over-end-life-care-pregnant-/">Competing Bills Filed Over End-of-Life Care for Pregnant Women</a> <p class="pub-date">March 12, 2015</p> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/25/lawmakers-push-right-try-experimental-drugs/">Lawmakers Push "Right to Try" Experimental Drugs</a> <p class="pub-date">Feb. 25, 2015</p> </li> </ul> </section> </section> <section class="share-box"> <p class="sub-text">Share this issue: <a href="/web/20150623005909/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#caf5b9bfa8a0afa9bef79ea2afeff8fa9eafb2abb9eff8fa9eb8a3a8bfa4afeff8faa5a4eff8fabea2afeff8faf2febea2eff8fa86afadaff0eff8fa98afaca5b8a7Xing%20end-of-life%20care&body=I%20read%20about%20an%20issue%20that%20you%20might%20be%20interested%20in%20at%20The%20Texas%20Tribune:%20Reforming%20end-of-life%20care%20%0D%0Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/reforming-end-of-life-care/"> <i class="fa fa-envelope"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Issues%20of%20the%2084th%20%23txlege%3A%20Reforming%20end-of-life%20care%20http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/reforming-end-of-life-care/&via=texastribune" title="share on Twitter" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-twitter"></i> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=154122474650943&display=popup&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/topics/health-and-human-services/reforming-end-of-life-care/&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org" title="share on Facebook" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-facebook"></i> </a> </p> </section> <section class="newsletter-signup"> <header> <h4 class="sub-section-header">Sign up for our weekly digest of health & human services coverage.</h4> </header> <div id="mc_embed_signup"> <form action="//web.archive.org/web/20150623005909/http://texastribune.us3.list-manage2.com/subscribe/post?u=3d0ce87edeeb6df90043897db&id=ed83d25416" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate> <div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll"> <div class="mc-field-group"> <label class="hidden" for="mce-EMAIL"></label> <input class="required input_neue" type="email" name="EMAIL" value="" placeholder="username@email.com"/> <input class="button" type="submit" name="subscribe" value="Subscribe"/> </div> <div id="mce-responses" class="clear"> <div class="response" id="mce-error-response" style="display:none"></div> <div class="response" id="mce-success-response" style="display:none"></div> </div> <div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"> <input type="text" name="b_3d0ce87edeeb6df90043897db_7476115edd" tabindex="-1" value=""></div> </div> </form> </div> </section> <div class="ad-container banner-ad bottom" id="div-gpt-ad-1406570316312-2"> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1406570316312-2'); }); </script> </div> <article class="issue-box"> <header> <h3 class="sub-section-header">Questions, suggestions or concerns? 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