Austin health updates: County budget pressures, hospital awards, and flu surveillance

ByWeence

Austin, TX – March 3, 2026 – Travis County cites rising employee health insurance costs, St. David’s wins awards, and APH updates flu surveillance.

County budget: Health insurance costs push new savings request

Travis County Commissioners Court has asked department heads to identify 5% spending reductions as the county prepares for a tight budget year, according to KUT. County Budget Director Travis Gatlin told KUT the county is not considering a hiring freeze or layoffs as part of the request and expects minimal to no impact on county services.

KUT reported the county is projecting up to a $13 million shortfall, driven largely by sharply higher employee health insurance costs. The county spent $2.6 million on employee health insurance last year, and this year those costs are estimated at roughly $14 million to $17 million. Departments’ proposed cuts are due to the budget office April 27, and the county must pass a balanced budget before the next fiscal year begins in October.

Hospitals: Press Ganey recognizes two St. David’s facilities

Heart Hospital of Austin and St. David’s Surgical Hospital were named 2025 Human Experience award winners by Press Ganey in an announcement from St. David’s HealthCare. Heart Hospital of Austin earned Pinnacle of Excellence and Guardian of Excellence awards tied to patient experience performance, including recognition for emergency services and HCAHPS patient survey scores. St. David’s Surgical Hospital earned a Pinnacle of Excellence award for inpatient rehabilitation. The announcement says the results placed the hospitals among the top 5% of providers measured for patient experience performance.

Safety-net care: City committee agenda highlights mental health access

Austin’s City Council Public Health Committee is scheduled to meet March 4. The posted agenda includes an update from Central Health, CommUnityCare Health Centers and Integral Care on the mental health system of care for low-income and uninsured people in Travis County, along with a separate briefing on the 2025 Austin-Travis County Community Health Assessment.

Outbreak watch: Austin Public Health posts flu surveillance summary

Austin Public Health’s respiratory disease page lists influenza surveillance data through Feb. 28. The weekly summary notes that flu activity in Texas is high and reports six adult influenza-associated deaths in Travis County so far this season. The page also reports five influenza-associated outbreaks in a school or long-term care facility this season in Travis County.

Waterways: FOX 7 segment notes blue-green algae risk

In a Feb. 25 segment, FOX 7 Austin reported that blue-green algae, also called cyanobacteria, is dangerous to humans and especially harmful to dogs.

Sources

https://www.kut.org/austin/2026-03-02/travis-county-tx-budget-cuts-health-care-costs
https://www.stdavids.com/about-us/newsroom/heart-hospital-of-austin-st-davids-surgical-hospital-named-2025-human-experience-award-winners
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/city-council/2026/20260304-phc.htm
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/respiratory-diseases
https://www.fox7austin.com/video/fmc-ntrb0lmpv2e8bnve

If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.

Brian 'Weence' Bateman is a seasoned medical and health writer with over a decade of experience in web development, search optimization, and social media for dentists and healthcare providers. His in-depth knowledge and dedication to the field are evident in the meticulously researched and informative content he produces.

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