Record Number Of Texans Get ACA Premium Aid That May Soon Lapse

Houston Chronicle: More Texans Received Help To Pay ACA Premiums Than Ever Before, But Those Benefits Won't Last Long
A record number of Texans enrolled in Affordable Care Act health insurance in 2022 largely because of federal financial assistance provided as part of pandemic relief initiatives, according to an analysis released Tuesday. More than 1.8 million Texans signed up for ACA marketplace health insurance in 2022, up 42 percent from 2021, according to the analysis by Episcopal Health Foundation, a Houston nonprofit that studies health and health care. That means more than 500,000 additional Texans have marketplace health insurance coverage compared to last year. (Carballo, 4/12)

And Texas food banks are struggling —

The Texas Tribune: Texas Food Banks Struggle To Meet Demand As Inflation Persists 
Ever since Juan Escalante was let go from his job at a distribution center, he and his wife, Emily, have done everything they can think of to provide for their family of five. They cobble together what they can from odd jobs and construction work while she drives for Uber when time allows. To keep meals on the table, they’ve turned to food stamps and a government assistance program for women, infants and young children. But as inflation continues pushing up the cost of food, they’ve found themselves trying to shore up an ever-growing budgetary gap. “What would be $100 in groceries is not roughly what was $100 maybe a few months ago,” Juan Escalante said. (Cobb, 4/13)

In other health news from across the U.S. —

Miami Herald: Florida Urges Vaccine Amid Meningococcal Disease Outbreak 
So far this year Florida has confirmed 21 cases of meningococcal disease, far outpacing annual averages, said state health officials, who are encouraging high-risk groups — including gay and bisexual men, people with HIV and college students — to get vaccinated against the often severe and sometimes deadly illness. An outbreak advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Florida has a “large, ongoing outbreak of meningococcal disease,” primarily among gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men, including those living with HIV. (Chang, 4/12)

Dallas Morning News: Tinslee Lewis Discharged From Fort Worth Hospital Amid Legal Battle To Keep Her Alive
Tinslee Lewis, a Fort Worth toddler who has been on a respirator most of her life, was sent home last week following a court battle to keep her alive at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Tinslee was born prematurely in 2019 with a rare heart condition. When she was about 9 months old and set to be taken off life support, her mother, Trinity Lewis, began a legal battle with the hospital and keep her daughter alive. “I’m sorry but I can’t hold it in any longer,” Lewis said in a Facebook post Thursday, “today my baby came home and I’m filled with joy and emotions right now.” The post did not go into detail about whether Tinslee was still on a respirator, but her mother said she was doing well. Trinity Lewis thanked Cook Children’s for its efforts to keep Tinslee alive, and she also expressed gratitude for her family and Texas Right to Life, an anti-abortion political organization that has publicized the case. (Keomoungkhoun, 4/12)

Bay Area News Group: As Homeless Deaths Spike, Alameda County Ramps Up Tracking Efforts
The number of homeless people dying in Alameda County is increasing at an alarming rate, and for the first time, officials are tracking, analyzing and hoping to learn from those lives lost. More than 800 unhoused people died in Alameda County between 2018 and 2020, according to the county’s first “homeless mortality report,” which was released this week. In an effort to reduce preventable deaths, the county plans to follow its initial effort with regular updated reports, and to create a new “community homeless mortality task force.” “While the numbers are shocking, this data will help to better inform the county as to what we can do to lessen homeless mortality and provide more supportive housing options and more accessible health care for our unhoused residents,” Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson wrote in an emailed statement. (Kendall, 4/12)

AP: Atlantic City Casino Workers Feel Smoking Ban Is In Reach
On the 16th anniversary of a New Jersey law that banned indoor smoking in most public places — except in casinos — hundreds of Atlantic City casino workers called on state lawmakers Tuesday to ban smoking in the gambling halls. The push comes at a crucial time for the Atlantic City casino industry as it tries mightily to regain lost business from the coronavirus pandemic, and braces for the opening of one or more additional casinos in New York City, which will compete for many of Atlantic City’s customers. (Parry, 4/12)

Kansas City Star: KC Career Fair Has Resources For Students With Disabilities 
A lot of kids in Kansas City are approaching the end of their time in high school. Anxiety and fear about what comes next are slowly creeping into their minds as this chapter comes to a close. The next step after high school looks different for a lot of students aiming to find the path that is the best fit for them. Kim Riley had a high school senior facing this next step while also dealing with a disability. She knew that support would be important for students with disabilities navigating this next chapter, so she put together a career and college fair designed to do just that. (Hernandez, 4/13)

KHN: Who Doesn’t Text In 2022? Most State Medicaid Programs 
West Virginia will use the U.S. Postal Service and an online account this summer to connect with Medicaid enrollees about the expected end of the covid public health emergency, which will put many recipients at risk of losing their coverage. What West Virginia won’t do is use a form of communication that’s ubiquitous worldwide: text messaging. “West Virginia isn’t set up to text its members,” Allison Adler, the state’s Medicaid spokesperson, wrote to KHN in an email. (Galewitz, 4/13)