Sophie Novack
The Texas Observer
Austin, TX, United States
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Past articles by Sophie:
How Deaths in Texas Jails Are Ignored and Unresolved
Texas Observer reviewed more than 400 Texas Rangers investigations into jail deaths over the past decade. The records show that state police regularly document jail conditions that can lead to preventable deaths, → Read More
The Texas Children's Scientist Working to Produce a Globally Accessible COVID-19 Vaccine
A COVID-19 vaccine developed in Houston is in clinical trials in India and could be ready for global use as soon as late summer. → Read More
COVID-19 is Surging in Rural Texas, Threatening to Overwhelm Local Hospitals
ICU beds are limited, medical providers are falling sick, and urban hospitals where small facilities transfer critical patients are running out of space. → Read More
In Rural Texas, COVID-19 Contact Tracing is Largely Up to Local Officials, If It Happens at All
As public health experts warn of new waves of infections this summer or fall, experts say there’s still not a robust system in place to track the coronavirus, particularly in rural areas. → Read More
Texas Has Stopped Kicking Thousands of Kids Off Medicaid Each Month During the Pandemic, but Advocates Point to Delays for New Enrollees
Texas' frequent eligibility checks for kids on Medicaid are on hold during the COVID-19 public health emergency. → Read More
Texas Health Officials Undercount COVID-19 Cases by Excluding Some Prisoners Who Tested Positive
The Observer identified at least nine Texas counties where current prison cases make up more than 10 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in the county. → Read More
In Rural Counties, COVID-19 Cases are Likely Undercounted. Greg Abbott Wants to Reopen them Anyway.
More than 100 Texas counties—many with limited medical resources—will be able to reopen businesses to 50 percent capacity on Friday. → Read More
Abortion Clinics in Texas Rely on Traveling Doctors. Coronavirus is Keeping Some of Them Home.
With limited in-state providers, many abortion clinics rely on out-of-state doctors, and travel restrictions impact the availability of services. → Read More
In Texas, Thousands of Kids Lose Medicaid Coverage Each Month
Texas has the most uninsured kids in the nation. But state lawmakers have made it especially difficult for kids to stay on Medicaid. → Read More
This West Texas Town Is a Void for Reproductive Health
Rural hospitals are closing their maternity wards. Many Texans travel hundreds of miles just to access basic reproductive health care services. → Read More
A Decade of Texas Health Care By The Numbers
What do 2010 vs. 2019 comparisons tell us when it comes to lawmakers’ priorities on health care? → Read More
Everyone Wants to End Surprise Medical Billing in Texas, but No One Wants to Pay for It
New patient protections go into effect January 1, but a last-minute rulemaking controversy illustrates how hard it is to fix even a relatively narrow health care problem. → Read More
Texas Is Facing a Critical Physician Shortage
Two decades ago, 14 of the state’s 254 counties had no doctor. Today, that number has jumped to 33. More than 20 other counties have just one. → Read More
‘You Can Only Take So Much’: Low-Income Hurricane Harvey Survivors Sue Over ‘Discriminatory’ Recovery Process
The lawsuit accuses state and federal officials of favoring wealthier, white homeowners over poorer black and Hispanic renters. → Read More
Scenes from a Rural Hospital’s Final Day
Chillicothe Hospital closed its doors on July 22. Its closure reverberated through the community in both expected and surprising ways. → Read More
A Dying Town
When a rural hospital dies, the community around it starts to follow suit. → Read More
Some Small Texas Towns Are Declaring Themselves ‘Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn’
Frustrated with the Legislature, Texas city officials are taking on abortion rights through local policy measures. → Read More
American Health Care is Broken, Especially in Texas. What Can We Do About It?
Physician Marty Makary’s new book shows how sky-high medical bills can ruin patients’ lives—but puts the burden on individuals to demand change. → Read More
Thousands of Rape Kits in Texas Went Untested For Years. Lavinia Masters Is Ending That.
The Lavinia Masters Act, which goes into effect in September, is the culmination of more than ten years of Masters’ advocacy in Texas, where a backlog of about 20,000 untested rape kits was identified in 2011. → Read More
‘My Congregation Trusts Women’: Progressive Faith Groups Counter Anti-Abortion Narratives
Conservative Texas groups and lawmakers have cited their faith to back abortion restrictions, but polling shows that majorities across many religions actually support abortion rights. → Read More