TMA is hard at work guiding health care policy through the Texas Legislature. House and Senate committee chairs are holding legislative hearings on dramatic budget cuts, physician employment, expansion of scope, and a myriad of public health issues. At each hearing, TMA has a physician leader present to ensure legislators understand our position and act in the best interest of patients. We are also presenting a variety of letters to state lawmakers.

End of Life Care 

• What the End-of-Life Bill Really Does (May 14, 2013)
• SB 675 Eviscerates Texas Advanced Directives Act (March 19, 2013)
• Protecting the Patient-Physician Relationship at the End of Life (March 19, 2013)

 Health Insurance Reform 

• Standardized Prior Authorizations Forms Save Time and Money (April 25, 2013)
• Standard Prior Authorization Form Needed (April 23, 2013)
• Good Faith Price Estimates Hinge on Health Insurers (April 16, 2013)
• TMA Opposes Upfront Comprehensive Price Estimate (April 16, 2013)
• TMA Opposes CSHB 2359 Upfront Price Estimate (April 16, 2013)
• TMA Opposes CSHB 2360 - Price Upfront or Forfeit Fee (April 16, 2013)
• Prevent Silent PPO in Medicaid Managed Care (April 11, 2013)
• SB: 822: Dr. Buckingham Supports Legislation to Regulate Silent PPOs (April 8, 2013)
• TMA Opposes Disclosure Red Tape Bill (April 2, 2013)
• Health Insurers Must Cover Physician Telephone Consultations (March 26, 2013)
• Transparency in Out-of-Network Payments Needed (March 19, 2013)
• Dr. Buckingham Supports HB 620 Regulating Silent PPOs (March 5, 2013)
• TMA Supports Uniform Standard Prior Authorization Request Form (March 5, 2013)
• Dr. Korenman Supports HB 620 Regulating Silent PPOs (March 4, 2013)

Health Information Technology (HIT) 

• TMA Supports Privacy Law Clarification on Training Requirements (April 16, 2013)
• TMA Supports Privacy Protections (April 9, 2013)
• TMA Advocates for HIE Funds (March 25, 2013)
• SB 1367: Use Funds to Improve HIE Infrastructure (March 25, 2013)

Medicaid and CHIP 

• Medicaid OIG Improvement Bill (PDF, May 16, 2013)
•  TMA Supports Medicaid HMOs Paying Claims in 15 Days (April 16, 2013)
• TMA Supports Zerwas’ Medicaid Solution for Economic and Human Reasons (April 16, 2013)
•  Don't Cut APRNs and PAs Medicaid Payments (April 2, 2013)
• TMA Testifies Before HAC Article II on Dual Eligible Cuts (Feb. 11, 2013)  
• TMA Ask Senate Finance Committee to Restore Dual Eligible Cuts (Jan. 31, 2013)
• TMA Testimony HHSC LAR (PDF, Sept. 21, 2012)
• TMA Testifies at Joint Senate Hearing on Health Reform (Aug. 1, 2012)  

 Medical Education and Workforce 

• TMA Objects Substituting Medical Students Core Clerkships (April 10, 2013)
• Dr. Secrest Supports Improvements to Grow GME (March 27, 2013)
• TMA Testimony: GME Funding (Feb. 22, 2013)
• TMA Testimony: Dr. Wright Asks Lawmakers to Support GME Funding (Feb. 15, 2013)
• TMA Testifies Before Senate Finance Committee on Article III (Jan. 29, 2013)
• TMA Testimony Against Clerkship Positions for Foreign Medical Schools (Dec. 11, 2012)

Physician Employment 

• Physician Employment Nacogdoches Hospital District (March 14, 2013) 

Red Tape Reduction  

• Simplify Medicaid HMO Administrative Requirements (April 2, 2013)
• Streamline CSR Permit Requirements (March 28, 2013)
• HB 395: Dr. Swift Advocates for Red Tape Reduction (March 25, 2013)
• TMA Letter: Data Collection Requirements (March 11, 2013)
• SB 166: Dr. Swift Advocates for Red tape Reduction (Feb. 25, 2013)

Telemedicine 

• Physicians Critical to Telemedicine in Trauma Centers (March 26, 2013)
• Telemedicine Must Include an Established Patient/Physician Relationship (March 19, 2013)  

Public Health 

• New Pilot for SNAP Recipients Proposed (May 7, 2013)
• Fitness Testing Provides Critical Data (PDF, May 7, 2013) 
• TMA Supports Newborn Heart Screening (PDF, May 7, 2013)
•  Modernize ImmTrac the State’s Immunization Registry (PDF, April 30, 2013)
•  TMA Supports Child Care Worker Vaccination Policy (PDF, April 24, 2013)
• TMA Supports Meningitis Vaccination Cleanup Bill (PDF, April 24, 2013)
• HB 2686: Healthy Food and Economy Task Force (April 10, 2013)
• Regulation Needed for Local Farmer’s Markets (April 10, 2013)
• TPHC Supports Limiting Sugary Beverages in Texas Schools (PDF, April 10, 2013)
• Use Tobacco Taxes for Cessation and Prevention Programs (April 9, 2013)
• “K2,” “Spice,” and/or “Blaze” Dangerous to Texans (April 2, 2013)
• Salvia Divinorum Dangers to Texas’ Youth (April 2, 2013)
• TMA Supports Changes to Bacterial Meningitis Vaccine Law (March 27, 2013)
• Neurocognitive Testing for All Student Athletes (March 27, 2013)
• Fitness Goals Important in School Campus Planning (PDF, March 27, 2013)
• TMA Supports Childhood Obesity Efforts (March 27, 2013)
• Health and Fitness Assessments Provides Important Data (March 15, 2013)
• Make ImmTrac an Opt-Out System (March 14, 2013)
• Improve Texas’ Perinatal Care System (March 13, 2013)
• Reduce Barriers for Breastfeeding (March 12, 2013)
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Opposition (March 6, 2013)
• Support Prevention of West Nile Virus (WNV) (March 6, 2013)
• TMA Opposes SB 684 to Weaken Fitnessgram (PDF, March 5, 2013)
• TMA Testifies On SB 317 Sugared Drinks in Texas Schools (PDF, March 5, 2013)
• Dr. Sherwood Testifies on Raw Milk Legislation (PDF, Feb. 27, 2013)
• TMA's Position on SB 97 by Sen. Dan Patrick (PDF, Feb. 26, 2013)
• Dr. Spinks Testifies in Support of Texting Ban (PDF, Feb. 26, 2013)
• House Public Health Panel Discussion on Public Health Spending (PDF, Feb. 13, 2013)
• Invest in Public Health (PDF, Feb. 13, 2013)
• Greater Transparency CPRIT Operations (Feb. 12, 2013)
• West Nile Virus Prevention (Feb. 12, 2013)
• Senate Finance on CPRIT (PDF, Feb. 5, 2013)
• Margins Tax Vaccine Deduction (PDF, June 5, 2012)
• Texas’ Health Registries (PDF, April 11, 2012)

Children's Health 

• TMA Supports Minor Consent for Vaccination (PDF, April 24, 2013)
• TMA Support Newborn Hearing Screenings (March 20, 2013)
• Newborn Screening for Congenital Heart Disease (March 13, 2013)
• Support of Child Care Facility Immunization Policy (PDF, Feb. 26, 2013)
• Support Minor Vaccination Consent (PDF, Feb. 26, 2013)
• Funding Texas Early Childhood Intervention (PDF, Feb. 14, 2013)
• Early Childhood Funding and More (PDF, Jan. 31, 2013)
• Support ECI and Public Health Funding (PDF, Jan. 31, 2013)
• TMA Supports FitnessGram, TEA Sunset Hearing (PDF, Nov. 13, 2012)

Mental Health 

• TMA Supports a Physician’s Ability to Detain Patient in ED (April 16, 2013)
• Assisted Outpatient Treatment (March 25, 2013)
• Increased Mental Health Funding Needed (Jan. 31, 2013)

Trauma 

• Don’t Repeal Driver’s Responsibility Program (April 3, 2013)

 Women's Health Care 

• TMA Supports Education for Breast Cancer Patients (April 24, 2013)
• Physicians Want Accurate Information in WRTK Brochure (April 24, 2013)
• Bill Removes Inaccurate Information in WRTK Brochure (April 10, 2013)
• Support Task Force to Study Childbirth Related Deaths (March 28, 2013)
• Improve WRTK Booklet (PDF, March 15, 2013)
• Study Impact of 2011 Budget Cuts on Family Planning Services (PDF, March 13, 2013)
• TWHC Testimony: Invest in DSHS Family Planning program (PDF, Feb. 13, 2013)
• TWHC Testimony: Women's Health Program Funding (PDF, Feb. 11, 2013)
• TWHC Testifies Before Senate Finance Committee (PDF, Jan. 31, 2013)
• TMA's Letter in Opposition to DSHS's Propsed Rules for Women's Health Program (PDF, Aug. 6, 2012)

Scope of Practice 

• No to Chiros Conducting School Bus Driver Mental and Physical Exams (April 10, 2013)
• "No" to Chiros Use of Parking Placards (Feb. 19, 2013) 

Taxes 

• Sales Tax Exemption Fix Needed (April 11, 2013)
• Support Vaccine Tax Deduction (March 25, 2013)

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