August 26, 2015 12:19 PM

Despite telling a court the agency was starting over, HHSC is said to be moving forward with controversial Medicaid cuts

Sources tell QR that Gov. Abbott has directed HHSC to stick to its guns; no comment from Abbott’s office on that

Opponents of a huge cut to pay rates for therapists who treat disabled Texas children enjoyed a very brief victory this morning when the state told a district judge it would “essentially start over” in designing new rates to comply with a legislative demand to save money.

Eugene Clayborn, of the Texas Attorney General’s Office, told Judge Amy Meachum this morning that the state would abandon both its original rate cuts and new, less severe ones entered into evidence last week. Plaintiffs in the civil suit aimed at preventing the new cuts from taking effect September 1^st believed this meant the Health and Human Services Commission would work with stakeholders to design new rates that wouldn’t cost 60,000 disabled children their access to medical care, as they feared the proposed cuts would.

But shortly after, state Rep. Donna Howard and others learned in discussion with persons from HHSC that this is not Texas’ intention.

There was no immediate comment from HHSC.

By Emily DePrang