
Texas Health and Human Services Commission warns of data breach, impacting tens of thousands
Texas Health and Human Services Commission is warning Texans about a recent data breach involving employees.
In addition to the Texans impacted by the privacy breach first reported on Jan. 17, THHSC said the personal information of 33,529 other recipients of agency services may have been leaked. At least 94,000 total Texans have been impacted to date.
Leaked data includes full names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, email addresses, Social Security numbers, Medicaid and Medicare identification numbers, financial, employment, banking, benefits, health, insurance, medical, certificate, license and other personal information. The breach happened between June 2021 and January 2025.
THHSC said it terminated nine employees in connection to the incident and that it's pursuing criminal charges.
As a result, THHSC said it is strengthening internal security controls and working to implement additional fraud prevention measures, including enhanced monitoring and alerts to detect suspicious activity.
SNAP recipients are advised to check their Lone Star Card transactions for possible fraud activity and to report it to law enforcement.
THHSC said the data that was accessed, used or disclosed is not the same for everyone. Two years of free credit monitoring and theft protection services is being offered to impacted Texans.
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USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
Medicaid churn: How working Americans could mistakenly lose coverage under Trump tax bill
Medicaid churn: How working Americans could mistakenly lose coverage under Trump tax bill Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump gives his thoughts on Elon Musk amid clash on bill President Donald Trump responded to Elon Musk's criticism of his "big, beautiful bill" with disappointment as Musk responded on X. A centerpiece of Donald Trump's tax bill would make millions of Medicaid recipients work, volunteer or study to maintain their publicly-financed health insurance. Republicans say the work requirement is vital to protect taxpayers while motivating nondisabled Medicaid recipients to take charge of their physical and fiscal health. Dr. Mehmet Oz challenged this population to "prove that you matter." But health advocacy groups and analysts say most recipients already work in jobs that don't provide affordable health insurance or pay enough for people to afford their own insurance. They say mandating a Medicaid work requirement − combined with more frequent eligibility checks − would create an administrative nightmare that drops coverage for many who qualify for the public health insurance program for low-income and disabled residents. What is Medicaid churn? Medicaid rolls vary from month to month as people lose eligibility due to a new job, a raise or other income source that disqualifies them for coverage. A job loss or change in life circumstances could make someone newly eligible. The constant change of Medicaid rolls is what health policy experts call churn. A person who temporarily loses coverage due to a paperwork issue or mistake then must again sign up. "Churn is what happens when these eligibility systems become difficult to navigate," said Jennifer Tolbert, deputy director of the program on Medicaid and the uninsured for KFF, a health policy nonprofit. The federal government requires state Medicaid programs to check enrollees eligibility once a year. The Trump tax cut legislation would mandate states double eligibility checks to twice a year. And states would have the added duty of verifying a person's employment or exemption status. The legislation, which passed the House and awaits Senate approval, mandates Medicaid recipients who are "able-bodied" adults without children work 80 hours per month or qualify for an exemption such as being a student, caregiver or having a disability. The bill defines able-bodied as people who are not medically certified as physically or unfit for employment. The legislation also would strip coverage from undocumented immigrants who get Medicaid through state-funded programs. Health policy experts say more frequent eligibility checks and red tape will add administrative costs and cut off people who qualify but fall through the cracks due to administrative miscues. "People are going to have to document work status or exemption status multiple times a year, and at each point there's a risk that someone who is eligible could lose coverage," Tolbert said. Thousands lost coverage under Arkansas work requirement During the first Trump administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave states the option of implementing a work requirement for nondisabled adults on Medicaid. Arkansas' work requirement cut more than 18,000 residents from Medicaid within the first seven months of the program. People were removed often because people were unaware of paperwork requirements to keep their coverage, research shows and analysts said. In April, a study by researchers from the Urban Institute and Loyola University Chicago found the Arkansas uninsured rate jumped 7.4 percentage points among low-income adults age 30 to 49 after the state's work requirement began. The policy's impact on employment among that age group was "negative, small and statistically insignificant," the study said. Arkansas adults who didn't have access to the internet at home were disproportionately harmed by the policy, a sign adults might've had trouble accessing the state's online portal to report work histories or exemptions, the Urban Institute said. If the work requirement for Medicaid recipients is adopted nationwide, health experts say millions of working poor Americans will inevitably lose coverage. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated 10.9 million Americans would lose health insurance coverage through 2034 under the legislation. Most would lose coverage due to the Medicaid work requirement and the twice-a-year eligibility checks, but about 3.1 million would become uninsured from tweaks to Affordable Care Act enrollment, according to a KFF analysis. The ranks of the uninsured could grow larger if Congress doesn't extend the COVID-19 pandemic-era tax credits that have made ACA plans more affordable for consumers. If the tax credits expire and Congress passes the current version of the Trump tax bill, as many as 16 million Americans would lose coverage , according to CBO. "Coverage loss from work requirements should actually be very small," said Kathy Hempstead, a senior policy officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "But we anticipate it will be very large, because people will not be able to comply with the requirements and will lose their coverage." Dr. Oz: Medicaid spending is 'crippling the system' The Trump administration's top Medicaid official has defended the House legislation as a necessary step to slow spending for the federal health program that covers nearly 80 million low-income and disabled Americans. In a June 4 interview with Fox Business, Dr. Oz challenged Medicaid recipients who would face work requirements should "prove that you matter." Oz, the Trump-appointed administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said the work requirement asks "able-bodied individuals who are able to go back to work at least try to get a job or volunteer or take care of a loved one who needs help or go back into school. Do something to show you have agency over your future." In a Fox News interview posted on the social media site X, Oz said Medicaid spending has surged 50% since 2019, a pace that is "crippling the system." However, some Republicans have pushed back on the proposed cuts. In a May opinion piece in the New York Times, Sen. Josh Hawley, R- Missouri, said "slashing health insurance for the working poor" is "morally wrong and politically suicidal." Survey: Americans worried about Medicaid cuts The public is paying attention to the proposed Medicaid cuts. Slightly more than half of adults said they're worried significant cuts in Medicaid spending would negatively affect their family's ability to obtain and afford health care, according to a KFF health tracking poll released June 6. The survey this survey of 2,539 U.S. adults was conducted online and by telephone over three weeks in May. The survey said nearly 6 in 10 adults said the Trump administration's policies would weaken Medicaid, but there is a stark divide based on party affiliation. Nine in 10 Democrats but just 2 in 10 Republicans expect the administration's policies would weaken Medicaid. Republicans also were far more likely than Democrats to say that the Trump's policies would strengthen Medicaid. Still, while the survey suggests people are tracking the news, many likely wouldn't know whether their coverage has changed until they try to get medical care. "People don't often know that they've lost coverage until they try and fill a prescription or see a doctor," Tolbert said.


Health Line
an hour ago
- Health Line
A Guide to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency that provides health coverage to millions of people. It oversees programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. The CMS works closely with the entire healthcare community to improve the equity, quality, and outcomes within the healthcare system. What is CMS? CMS is the federal agency that helps provide health coverage for more than 160 million people across the United States. It oversees the following health insurance programs: Medicare Medicaid Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Health Insurance Marketplace CMS aims to strengthen and modernize the United States healthcare system and provide access to high quality care and improved health at lower costs. About Medicare Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 years old and over. Those under 65 years old who have an eligible illness or disability may also qualify for coverage through Medicare. Medicare has four parts that offer different coverage for your healthcare needs: Part A: This is also known as hospital insurance. It covers inpatient care in facilities like hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Part A also covers some home healthcare and hospice care. Part B: This is also known as medical insurance. It covers outpatient care and services you might receive from a doctor, specialist, or other healthcare professional. Part B also covers durable medical equipment (DME) and some home healthcare. Part C (Medicare Advantage): This is an alternative to Original Medicare (parts A and B). It offers the same coverage but is provided by Medicare-approved private insurance companies. Medicare Advantage plans also typically include prescription drug coverage (Part D) and additional benefits, such as vision, hearing, and dental. Part D: This offers prescription drug coverage. Part D plans are offered through Medicare-approved private insurance companies. If you have Original Medicare, you can purchase a stand-alone Part D plan from one of these companies. The CMS oversees and manages the Medicare program. The Social Security Administration (SSA) manages Medicare enrollment and income-related monthly adjustment amounts (IRMAA) for Part B and Part D. About Medicaid Medicaid is a health insurance program that is run by individual states according to federal requirements. It is funded by both the state and federal governments. Medicaid provides health coverage to around 71.1 million people, including: adults with lower incomes pregnant individuals children older adults people with disabilities It is possible for you to qualify for coverage from both Medicaid and Medicare at the same time. This can help reduce or eliminate your out-of-pocket costs. About Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) CHIP helps provide comprehensive health insurance benefits to children. Each state runs its own CHIP program, which means that the exact coverage and benefits may vary. While states can choose what benefits to offer in their CHIP program, there are certain healthcare services they must include: dental vaccines behavioral health well-baby and well-child visits About the Health Insurance Marketplace The Health Insurance Marketplace can help you find health coverage if you don't already have it through Medicare, Medicaid, or employment. It can also help you: find answers to questions about health insurance compare health insurance plans for affordability and coverage find out if you are eligible for tax credits for private insurance or health programs like Medicare and Medicaid enroll in a health insurance plan that meets your needs Summary The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that oversees health coverage programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It has a mission to strengthen the United States health system and provide access to high quality care and improved health at lower costs. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.

Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
A boomer quit nursing to live on $2,972 monthly in Social Security in an RV in America's parks: 'I literally live in heaven'
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