HHSC Ties Efficiency and Accountability to Tech and Data

Technology and data underpin Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) programming, and the agency’s 2025-29 strategic plan gives a glimpse into what actions the agency plans to take for improving them.

The commission falls under the umbrella of Health and Human Services (HHS), which also includes the Department of State Health Services (DSHS). HHSC provides oversight and administrative services for both, which serve 7.5 million Texans a month.

Since 1993, state agencies have been required to develop long-term strategic plans in even-numbered years. These plans include, among other information, mission and goals; performance measures; populations served; resource analysis; and expected service or mission changes due to legal changes. In turn, this planning guides agency budgets.

HHSC lists goal four as “continuously enhance efficiency and accountability,” a summary of which is found in Part One of the plan; full details are in Part Two’s 475 pages.

Tech and contractual actions impacting this include:

• Data quality and maturity, September 2026
• Improved contract management, August 2027
• Enhanced cybersecurity, August 2029
• Enhanced connected analytics, August 2029

The plan also points to how the agency uses data to improve efficiency, compliance, the user experience and health-care outcomes including:

• Using data analytics to prevent fraud and waste
• Ensuring quality data to monitor performance
• Analyzing health-care costs, provider trends and employee salaries
• Using data for workforce and constituent transparency
• Gathering data on unique populations such as servicemembers
• Using data for automating reports
• Using self-service data to quicken workflows

Agency programming includes:

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Medicaid

Of HHSC’s $93.4 billion appropriations for FY24-25, 6.2 percent goes to direct and indirect administration, including IT, according to the documents.