Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg talks about the accusations County Judge Lina Hidalgo has made against her.

The Episcopal Health Foundation announced that it has received a $20 million investment from national philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

Houston Newsmakers: Is Russia committing genocide and what can the world do about it?

Medicaid is the health care safety net for millions of Americans.

HOUSTON – Texas’ failure to address race-based inequities in health and health care access is costing the state billions of dollars, according to a new study. Funded by the Episcopal Health Foundation, a Houston-based non-profit and reported by Altarum, a non-profit research and consulting organization, the study examined the impact of disparities highlighted by COVID-19. According to researchers, differences in health status, disease prevalence and life expectancy by race and ethnicity cost the state of Texas $2.7 billion in excess medical care spending and $5 billion in lost productivity. Researchers hope the study will motivate policymakers to fund programs they say are necessary to address health disparities in the state. “We want them to know the real cost is the cost of inaction,” said Dr. Darrell Gaskin, who co-authored the report and is a professor of health policy and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions.

HOUSTON – As COVID-19 vaccines roll out, now a big question is who will take them once they’re available. That was the focus of a recent Episcopal Health Foundation statewide survey of about 1,200 Texans. “We show that overall 60% of Texans say that they’re likely to get the vaccine. As more COVID-19 vaccines roll-out, work is also already underway to get the word out about them. With the possibility of more COVID-19 vaccines being approved and more people become eligible to take them, the push is now on to get people vaccinated.