Overview
Although the 77th Texas Legislature lacked
an overall health care theme, such as the Patient Bill of Rights,
organized medicine was no less busy this session when compared to
previous years. The Texas Medical Association, working
hand-in-hand with county medical and state specialty societies,
promoted a wide spectrum of health care reform initiatives,
ranging from requiring health insurance "fair pay" for physicians
and health care providers to increasing Medicaid funding to
promoting exercise for school-age children. Legislative
redistricting, which comes around only once every 10 years, cast
a long shadow for many legislators. Yet despite the political
hand-wringing and paranoia inherent in the redistricting process,
health care faired remarkably well. The Texas Legislature
increased spending on health and human services by a stunning 17
percent, raised Medicaid reimbursement for providers while
simplifying Medicaid eligibility for children, and enacted a host
of bills aimed at improving Texas' public health and medical
education systems.
For medicine, the 77th legislative session
also will be remembered for the remarkable number of bills that
were vetoed, most notably the prompt payment legislation, House
Bill 1862, which would have removed the extensive loopholes
health plans and insurers now routinely exploit in order to delay
or deny payment to physicians. Whenever possible, TMA will use
the regulatory process to resurrect issues lost through the veto
process. In fact, TMA already is meeting with the Texas
Department of Insurance to discuss how to revise the current
clean claims regulations to prohibit unfair claim payment
practices.
Described above are just a handful of the
health care issues that were debated during the 77th legislature.
Contained within this compendium is a comprehensive review of
legislation TMA worked to pass this year, along with a summary of
vetoed bills, other legislative "near misses," and the outcome of
some bills that TMA opposed.
Except where otherwise indicated, all bills
that passed will take effect on Sept. 1, 2001.
Table of Contents
Last Updated On
May 20, 2016
Originally Published On
March 23, 2010