In Texas, health advocates often find themselves playing defense to encourage leaders to preserve the state’s relatively frugal public service offerings while also pushing for more.

If legislators approve the request, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission would also get $100 million from Washington to address huge Medicaid and food stamp application delays.

The request, which includes hiring more staff and updating the online application system, comes as applicants must wait for months to receive approval for benefits.

The Department of Human Services' "internal control weakness" has led to more than $40 million in overpayments to Medicaid providers, according to a report released on Tuesday by state auditors.

Minnesota’s Department of Human Services overpaid medical assistance providers like nursing homes more than $40 million through its Medicaid program and did not attempt to recover the debts, according to a report released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor.

Health care providers in Minnesota owe the Department of Human Services more than $40 million — but the agency has only made sporadic efforts to collect the debt over the past 10 years, according to a report released Tuesday by the Office of the Legislative Auditor.