Vice President, Communications
Merrill helps Texans better understand the research, data and policy choices shaping the state's future. Before joining Texas 2036, she spent more than three decades advising Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and nonprofits across Texas on strategic communications and public affairs.
In March, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, created a new House Select Committee on Health Care Affordability, and gave it the task of examining factors affecting healthcare affordability in Texas. This bipartisan committee, led by Chair James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, and Vice Chair Toni Rose, D-Dallas, will focus this legislative interim on studying why…
Gold Plans Led Texas Enrollment in 2026 Against a backdrop of national ACA enrollment declining nearly 8%, Texas added more than 200,000 plan selections in 2026. That 5.2% increase represented the largest numerical gain in the country. That growth is notable, but the data showing the composition of that growth is the more significant story….
When examining the 2026 ACA enrollment data, a clear line emerged between two groups of consumers: those who actively chose a plan during open enrollment, and those who were automatically renewed into their prior year coverage plan without taking any action. The difference in outcomes between those two groups is one of the most revealing findings in this…
Runoff elections don’t generate the same attention as general elections, but they often decide who appears on the November ballot. In Texas, understanding how runoffs work can make the difference between being an informed voter and sitting out a contest that shapes your community’s representation. What is a runoff election? A runoff election occurs when…
Key Takeaways One in three adults (32%) have used AI for health information in the past year, with higher rates among younger adults (36%) and the uninsured (40%). For many younger adults, AI is becoming an alternative to a health care system they struggle to access or afford. Adults under 30 were six times more…
Texas lawmakers have 140 days every two years to pass legislation. That constraint makes the 18 months between sessions — known as the interim — just as consequential as the session itself. What happens during the interim shapes what lawmakers debate, what bills get filed, and which issues rise to the top when session begins….