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87TH LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP
A Deep Dive into Texas
Women’s Health Services
By Winona Gbedey, Chelsea Gerlicki and Sarah Miller, MD, MPH
With over 14.6 million women
living in Texas, almost 30% of
which are uninsured, health
programs that aim to support
and improve women’s health are
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of the utmost importance.
However, many Texas women
are unaware of the free and low-
cost state-wide medical services
available to them. Though each
of these programs have their
own unique set of services, they
each contribute to an extensive
network that addresses the
barriers many women face
when trying to find
comprehensive and affordable
obstetric and gynecological
health care.
Join us as we explore Texas’
women’s health programs and
how the outcomes of the
Texas Legislative Session will
impact them.
28 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • August 2021
87TH LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP
cess to sexual and reproductive services, TFPP
empowers couples to take charge of their re-
productive health to ensure better health out-
comes for both mother and baby.
Adequate preconception care is a critical
component of health care for anyone of re-
productive age — but despite its benefits, few
women have regular or reliable access to it.
Thus, TFPP has become an important
weapon in the fight against maternal and in-
fant mortality and morbidity. By addressing
the major risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes
and substance use that may compromise a
woman’s health even before she becomes
pregnant, they better prepare her physically
for the physiologic changes that take place
during pregnancy.
low-income families. Through Title X, over cluding those from preventable causes like
Breast and Cervical Cancer Services: four million men and women annually receive substance use and postpartum depression
Cervical cancer is the third most common wellness exams, cancer screenings, reproductive occur more than 60 days postpartum. This
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cause of cancer for Texas women aged 20 to care and education, STI testing and treatment. bill will support the mothers of nearly half the
WOMEN’S HEALTH PROGRAMS postpartum. This program offers enhanced 39 and the fifth most common for women Title X caters to populations that are typi- babies born in Texas each year.
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Healthy Texas Women and postpartum care to support more than aged 40 to 49. Even worse, breast cancer is cally underserved in medicine and serves as an Finally, Texas Senate Bill 1065 will improve
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Healthy Texas Women Plus: 375,000 births per year in Texas. Services in- the second most common cause of cancer important safety net for those who may not insurance coverage for women with dense
Healthy Texas Women (HTW) is the most clude coverage for psychotherapy and peer death in Texas women. Still, upwards of 30% be eligible for services through HTW, TFPP breast tissue or with a personal history of
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comprehensive women’s health program in specialists, imaging studies, medications, mon- of the state’s women do not get regular pap or BCCS. breast cancer. When this bill goes into effect,
Texas, providing a wide array of women’s itoring for cardiovascular and coronary condi- smears or mammograms. high risk patients will be able to receive diag-
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health services to uninsured, low-income tions, and screening, intervention and Breast and Cervical Cancer Services TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION nostic imaging studies, such as mammogra-
women. By enrolling in the program, eligible counseling services for substance use (BCCS) also helps provide high quality, low- Over the past several months, Texas legis- phy, ultrasound and MRI with the same
women gain access to innumerable services, disorders. 2 cost preventive care to eligible low-income, lators have evaluated hundreds of proposed health plans used for regular screening mam-
including gynecological exams, pregnancy uninsured women. Regular breast and cervi- legislation on dozens of overarching topics, mograms.
and STI testing, breast and cervical cancer Texas Family Planning Program: cal cancer screenings are important for both such as transportation, economic develop- A number of women’s health bills were ad-
screenings and family planning services, such As its name would suggest, the Texas Family pre- and post-menopausal women, because ment, criminal justice and health and human journed sine die, many of which hoped to
as contraception and permanent sterilization. Planning Program (TFPP) offers affordable early detection of suspicious lumps increases services. Now that the legislative session has tackle some of the biggest contributors to ma-
Healthy Texas Women, the Texas Family and accessible reproductive health care and the likelihood of treatment success. Once an concluded, we can attest that this has been a ternal mortality in Texas. Nonetheless, the
Planning Program and Breast and Cervical family planning services to women and men. abnormality is found, BCCS can direct pa- big session for women’s health. work that was accomplished at the 87th Leg-
Cancer Services all offer basic preventive serv- These services are especially needed in Texas, tients toward additional diagnostic testing, Over the next two years, Healthy Texas islative Session will help many people.
ices, such as cholesterol, diabetes and high where, over the past two decades, there has cervical dysplasia management, treatment and Women, the Texas Family Planning Program Many other bills were also proposed by the
blood pressure screenings. However, HTW been an increase in unplanned pregnancies assistance applying to the Medicaid for Breast and Breast and Cervical Cancer Services will Texas Senate and House, each with their own
also tends to women's mental, emotional and along with maternal and infant morbidity and and Cervical Cancer Program. This program benefit from a slight boost in funding for a unique benefits. Some wished to study and
social wellness by collaborating with substance mortality. In fact, Texas has some of the high- grants full Medicaid coverage to patients in total budget of $352.6 million. tackle the factors contributing to maternal
abuse programs, mental health inpatient care est rates in the country, with nearly 300,000 active treatment for cervical or breast cancer. Texas House Bill 133 will expand Medicaid and infant mortality (Texas House Bill 420),
and housing and emergency hotlines. unintended pregnancies every year and many postpartum coverage from two months to six while others hoped to expand the rights preg-
While HTW itself is not available to maternal deaths. 3,4,5 By emphasizing the im- Other Programs: months. Nationwide, maternal mortality has
nant women have to their bodies in life and
women who are currently pregnant, HTW portance of reproductive life plans, providing Title X is the only federal program dedi- slowly been rising, with more rapid increases death (Texas House Bill 102) and who can
Plus provides services up to twelve months preconception counseling and improving ac- cated to providing family planning services to occurring in Texas. Most of these deaths, in- join them in the pregnancy suite (Texas
continued on page 30
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