Related Stories

Seeking Balance: TMA Opposes Feds' Implementation of the No Surprises Act - 04/09/2024

The Texas Medical Association supported the patient protections in the federal No Surprises Act but also knew from the beginning that the law's payment arbitration provisions were flawed and could give insurers an advantage.

RICO Settlements: TMA's Leadership Against Payer Abuses Resulted in Relief, Reform - 04/09/2024

Back in 2001, the Texas Medical Association and the other plaintiffs alleged the nation’s major health plans had conspired to delay and reduce payments to clinicians and hospitals; the resulting lawsuits, brought under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), represented a watershed moment in TMA history.

Exceptional Circumstances: TMA Advocates “Legislative Clarity” Amid State Abortion Bans - 03/05/2024

TMA advocates “legislative clarity” amid state abortion bans.

Did You Receive an Email Requiring Registration to the State’s PMP? - 02/28/2024

TMA can confirm that an email sent Friday afternoon asking physicians to register for a PMP Aware account are indeed legitimate; however, there is no deadline to register.

Cannabidiol Takes a Big Step Toward Respectability - 01/25/2024

In September, the DEA issued an order listing all drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that contain cannabidiol but no more than 0.1 percent of the chief psychoactive agent in cannabis as Schedule V drugs — those with the least potential for abuse. So far, Epidiolex is the only medication that fits that description.

Noncompete Concerns Spark Ongoing TMA Advocacy, Resources - 09/19/2023

The Texas Medical Association continues to receive reports of physician concerns over noncompete agreements, underscoring medicine’s ongoing legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts to strike a balance that works for physician employers and employed physicians alike.

Practice E-Tips on Legal Topics - 07/20/2023

TMA Practice E-Tips on Legal Topics

Medicare Part B Inflation Rebate Takes Effect, Lowering Copays - 06/27/2023

A new federal law requires drug companies to rebate Medicare if they raise certain drug prices higher than the rate of inflation, which has translated into lower copays for some Medicare patients.

Fighting Back: Practice Wins Court Battle Over Defamatory Online Reviews - 06/20/2023

One practice’s recent legal battle epitomizes physicians’ worst nightmares when it comes to online reviews. Here’s an extreme but glaring real world example, straight from the documents in a lawsuit that Austin Eye first filed in October 2017 over

TMA Asks AMA to Stay Out of Affordable Care Act Suit - 05/02/2023

Leaders of the Texas Medical Association on Tuesday publicly objected to the American Medical Association’s plans to get involved in a high-profile federal lawsuit — filed in Texas — challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

TMA Analyzes FTC Proposed Ban on Noncompetes - 03/09/2023

The interplay between federal and state efforts to ban noncompete agreements remains unclear as Texas Medical Association experts analyze a proposed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule on the matter.

Risk Management - 02/15/2023

Practice e-Tips on Risk Management

Pharmacy Rule Opens Door to Improve Access to Low-Cost Medications - 02/06/2023

Given the high cost of medications, pharmacies should be sharing low-cost options with patients and allowing them to transfer their prescriptions as needed – without imposing additional administrative hassles on physician practices.

Counterfeit Medications Proliferate in Patient Care – and They’re Not Just Illicit Opioids - 01/31/2023

Counterfeit medications are a growing problem that can undermine medical treatment, and all physicians can help prevent their spread by asking patients simple questions.

Nationwide Adderall Shortage Expected to Last Through 2022 - 10/31/2022

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expects a nationwide shortage of Adderall and Adderall IR to extend through the end of the year, following manufacturing delays by the largest producer of Adderall in the country, Teva Pharmaceuticals LLC.

Are You Ready for Changes to Opioid Prescribing in Texas? - 10/14/2022

Beginning Sept. 1, all prescribers will be required to set up an account with the state’s prescription monitoring program, known as PMP Aware. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy will also begin issuing new official prescription forms that include advanced security features designed to help deter fraud.

Pay Now or Pay Later? Supreme Court Adds Clarity Around Negligence Awards - 07/29/2022

Case by case, courts are clarifying a piece of Texas’ tort reform law that’s meant to keep physicians from paying part of a medical negligence award in one prohibitive and devastating gulp.

“Black Robes, Not White Coats”: Can Courts Compel Unproven Treatments? - 06/29/2022

COVID-19 patients and their families have involved judges and attorneys in an effort to compel physicians to treat the disease in unproven ways, against their medical judgment. And in some cases around the country, patients’ families have been successful in getting a court order to do so. The Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Patient-Physician Advocacy, while not directly involved in such cases, has a keen interest in making sure physicians can exercise their medical judgment.

Contract Do’s and Don’ts: How to Negotiate From a Place of Strength - 06/29/2022

By leaning on Texas Medical Association resources and their own health care attorney, physicians can gain confidence and better negotiate favorable terms to secure their economic success.

How to Start a Medical-Legal Partnership - 06/29/2022

Medical entities can join forces with legal entities to form medical-legal partnerships (MLPs), and these partnerships are helpful for patients whose conditions are worsened by social determinants of health.

Picking the Right Battles: TMA Stands Up for Medicine in the Courts - 06/29/2022

When a big point of legal contention arises – “big” meaning impactful for Texas physicians and their patients – the Texas Medical Association responds big. That’s been the case for decades, including in the courts. 

Supreme Court Sides With Physician’s Push to Clear National Practitioner Data Bank Record - 06/14/2022

In a major victory for medicine, a Texas Supreme Court decision has paved the way for physicians exonerated of wrongdoing to fully clear their names in the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), the federal clearinghouse that records certain adverse or disciplinary actions taken against health care workers.

Dulling the Pain of Future Damages: High Court Ruling Addresses Periodic Payments - 05/31/2022

Texas Supreme Court decision carries new implications for periodic payment of future medical expenses.

Surgeon’s Multimillion-Dollar Defamation Award Tossed by Texas Supreme Court - 05/16/2022

The Texas Supreme Court has nullified a $6.4 million jury verdict for a Houston cardiothoracic surgeon in his lawsuit alleging defamation and business disparagement by Memorial Hermann Hospital System.    

AMA Honors TMA Attorney With Lifetime Achievement Award - 05/04/2022

The American Medical Association (AMA) has honored Donald P. “Rocky” Wilcox, vice president and general counsel of the Texas Medical Association (TMA), with the Medical Executive Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors a medical association executive who has contributed substantially to the goals and ideals of the medical profession.