Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Texas Can Cut Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program, Judge Rules
Axios: Judge: Texas Can Remove Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program
Texas can remove Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program, a state district judge ruled Wednesday. The move would stop thousands of people from accessing non-abortion services from the health provider. Texas has long tried to remove from Medicaid Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions in the state. (Falconer, 3/10)
The Hill: Judge Rules Texas Can Remove Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program
A state judge ruled on Wednesday that Texas can remove Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program, preventing those enrolled from using the program to get nonabortion services from the organization. Judge Lora Livingston decided that Texas officials had given appropriate notice to Planned Parenthood of the upcoming removal that is required under state law, after the advocacy organization contested in an emergency lawsuit that the state had not. (Coleman, 3/10)
In other news from Texas —
NBC News: Texas AG Threatens To Sue City Of Austin For Defying Governor On Mask Mandate
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton threatened Wednesday to sue the city of Austin and surrounding Travis County after officials there, citing the continued threat of Covid-19, said they would continue to require residents to wear masks even “when outside of their residence.” Paxton’s threat came on the same day the state’s mask mandate, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did away with last week, officially expired. “City/county leaders must not be thinking clearly,” Paxton said in a Tweet. “Maybe it’s oxygen deprivation from quintuple-masking. Whatever the case, they’ve tried this before. They lost. Travis County and Austin have a few hours to comply with state law or I’ll sue them.” (Siemaszko, 3/10)
AP: No Evidence Migrants At Border Significantly Spreading Virus
As he ended Texas’ coronavirus restrictions Wednesday over the objections of public health officials, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has tried shifting concern about the virus’ spread to migrants with COVID-19 crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, though without evidence they are a significant factor. The focus by Abbott and other Republicans on migrant families has drawn criticism about invoking a long history in the U.S. of wrongly suggesting migrants spread diseases. (Weber and Marchant, 3/10)
CBS News: Texas Rangers Allowing 100% Capacity At Stadium For Opening Day
The Texas Rangers on Wednesday announced that they will allow 100% capacity at Globe Life Field for their home opener in Arlington. The announcement comes a week after Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced he was rescinding the state's mask mandate and opening Texas "100%." "The Rangers are encouraged that the Governor's Office has given clearance for us to fully open Globe Life Field at the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season," President of Business Operations and Chief Operating Officer Neil Leibman said in a press release Wednesday, according to CBS Sports. Liebman said all attendees will be required to wear a mask or face covering. (Freiman, 3/10)
Also —
The Hill: Senators Introduce Bill To Increase Oversight Of Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D) have reintroduced legislation that would increase oversight of carbon monoxide prevention efforts, citing recent carbon monoxide poisoning deaths in Texas following extreme winter weather. The legislation, named after two young Minnesotan brothers who died of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ensure the safety and reliability of CO detectors and encourage states to require them in residential homes. (Budryk, 3/11)
