Blogged Arteries

TMLT Policies Cover RAC Audits

(Larry) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) policyholders audited under Medicare's Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program are now covered.

Don't Miss Valuable Member Services

(Larry) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

TMA and your county medical society are known for their advocacy efforts and sound political strategies that focus on patient care

HHSC Forming Regional Advisory Committees

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will accept applications until Feb. 26 for membership on Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program Regional Advisory Committees for 12 areas across the state.

Comptroller Offers Tax Waiver

(Larry) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Watch your mailbox. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has a deal that might interest you.

Check Out the New Medicare Checklist

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

TrailBlazer Health Enterprises wants physicians to review a trial Medicare Patient Screening/Eligibility Checklist and let officials know what they think of it.

Share Your Haiti Stories With Us

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you're among the many Texas physicians who volunteered or are planning to volunteer to treat the thousands of victims of the earthquake in Haiti, we want to know about it.

United Changes Radiology Policy

(Shari) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Starting Feb. 15, all physicians in UnitedHealthcare's Premium Quality and Cost Efficiency program must give United prior notice before ordering outpatient imaging procedures. The change applies to CT scans, MRIs, MRAs, PET scans, and nuclear medicine studies, including nuclear cardiology.

Keep Advance Directives Act, TMA Says

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Repealing the Texas Advance Directives Act "is not good public policy," TMA and the Texas Hospital Association say in a letter to Gov. Rick Perry and his Republican primary challenger Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Science Teaching Nominations Set Record

(Shari) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

TMA received a record 412 nominations for the 2010 Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching by the Dec. 18 deadline.

Medicare Fee Schedule Still Stings

(Shari) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Congress delayed for two months the 21.2-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians that was supposed to take effect Jan. 1, but other elements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2010 Physician Fee Schedule still affect your practice.

Medicare's E-prescribing Incentive Program

(Shari) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians may earn a bonus of 2 percent of Medicare allowable charges by participating in Medicare's e-prescribing program.

Check CT Protocols, DSHS Says

(Shari) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

State health officials want all Texas computed tomography (CT) facilities to review their CT protocols to make sure they are correct and are the intended protocol for the examination to be conducted.

Medicaid Adds Adult Preventive Care

(Shari) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Adult preventive care became a Medicaid benefit on Jan. 1.

HHSC Wants to IMPROVE Medicaid

(Shari) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you have an idea about how the state's Medicaid program can better serve physicians and patients, state officials want to hear it.

HHSC Needs Help With Health Homes

(Shari) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) wants physicians and Medicaid providers to submit proposals for developing a health home – more commonly known among physicians as a "medical home" – in their area as part of its effort to help children on Medicaid get regular checkups and coordinated care.

TMA Leaders Go to Washington

(Shari) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

TMA President-Elect Susan Rudd Bailey, MD, led a group that included Council on Legislation Chair Dan McCoy, MD, chief lobbyist Darren Whitehurst, and TMA Executive Vice President Louis J. Goodman, PhD, to Washington, D.C., this week to work with other state societies to lobby House and Senate members on health system reform legislation.

Temporary Medicare Fees in Effect

(Pat) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A temporary fee schedule of Medicare payments to physicians is in effect until March 1 after Congress in December delayed the 21.2-percent cuts in payments that were scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.

Medicare Participation Deadline Extended

(Pat) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Congressional action to stop the 21.2-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians on Jan. 1 prompted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to extend the 2010 participation enrollment deadline until March 17.

CMS Eliminates Consultation Payments

(Pat) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Postponement of the Medicare fee cuts until March by Congress on Dec. 19 does not affect other payment policies included in the 2010 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) physician fee schedule.

TMA Backs Banning Discretionary Clauses

(Shari) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA is asking State Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin to use his discretion and ban Texas insurance companies from hiding behind discretionary clauses in their policies.

Texas State Guard Wants You

(Shari) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas State Guard Medical Brigade is looking for physicians to treat patients when the next Hurricane Ike or some other disaster hits our state.

DSHS Changes HIV/STD Reporting Rules

(Shari) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians must report all primary and secondary syphilis diagnoses by telephone to their local or regional health department within one working day of diagnosis under new rules the Texas Department of State Health Services will put in place effective Jan. 1.

Need Ethics Credit?

(Shari) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Physician Oncology Education Program has posted the podcast "Tobacco Intervention and the Health Care Provider." The podcast discusses patient counseling, pharmacotherapies, and the new e-cigarettes.

Toolkit Helps Patients Start Year Healthy

(Shari) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As we ring in a new year, your patients likely are setting goals to improve their health. You are the key to ensuring that your patients keep their New Year's resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, and eat better. And it's easy to do with office-based tools offered in a new toolkit from TMA.

Medicare Physician Fee Cuts Delayed

(Andrea) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cuts in Medicare payments to physicians in 2010 were delayed until March when the U.S. Senate approved a $636 billion military appropriations bill on Dec. 19.

Rural Community Seeks Family Physician

(Shari) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic in Muenster needs a family practice physician.

Temporary Medicare Fee Deal in the Works?

(Larry) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Congress may do what it always does and cut a last-minute deal to stop the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' plans to slash Medicare payments to physicians by 21.2 percent on Jan. 1.

If Congress Doesn't Act ...

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How will the planned cuts in Medicare payments to physicians affect your practice if Congress doesn't act before Jan. 1?

Member Survey: TMA Right on Health Reform

(Pat) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Texas physicians and medical students say America's health system is in need of reform, but they don't prescribe radical change, and they believe the U.S. Congress' current treatment plan will do more harm than good.

2010 Medicare Enrollment Extended

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians have until Jan. 31 to decide if they want to change their participation status in the Medicare program next year.

HIT Summit This Month in Austin

(Pat) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians and other health care professionals interested in learning more about health information technology, electronic medical record use, and incentives offered by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act may want to attend the Texas Health IT Summit Jan. 15-16 at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin.

United Wins TRICARE Contract For Now

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Defense Department chose UnitedHealthcare's Military & Veterans Services unit to provide managed care services for the TRICARE health care program in Texas and 10 other southern states beginning in 2010.

CIGNA Warns of Electronic Payments Scam

(Shari) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians who provide durable medical equipment services for Medicare patients should be aware of a scam that may target them.

Be Tax Wise: Donate to TMAF

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The TMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of TMA, is a 501(c)(3) organization, so gifts made by Dec. 31 may be eligible for a federal income tax deduction.

Webinar Explains Cystic Fibrosis Screening

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services will present a free newborn screening Webinar on Friday, Dec. 4, from noon to 1:30 pm, as it prepares to add cystic fibrosis to the Texas Newborn Screening Program.

Judge: Chiropractors Can't Do EMG, MUA

(Shari) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians scored a patient safety and scope-of-practice victory against chiropractors Nov. 24 when Austin State District Judge Stephen Yelenosky said state law prevents chiropractors from performing clinical needle electromyography (EMG) or spinal manipulation under anesthesia (MUA).

TMA Conference: Leadership During Change

(Steve) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Exciting, well-known speakers and some top-notch programs are among the reasons you should plan to attend the 2010 TMA Winter Conference, Jan. 29-30 in Austin.

TMA Can't Support Senate Reform Bill

(Pat) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Even though there are some good provisions in the Senate's health system reform bill (HR 3590), the Texas Medical Association will not support it unless it undergoes some necessary and significant changes, TMA President William H. Fleming III, MD, said after analyzing the bill.

Webinar Seeks to Slow CKD

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The TMF Health Quality Institute, the Department of State Health Services, and the Governor's Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Task Force will present a Webinar, Save Their Kidneys! The Role of PCPs in Addressing CKD, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Only Physicians Can Be Called Physicians

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Only graduates of accredited schools of allopathic or osteopathic medicine should be defined as physicians, organized medicine says in a letter to the Joint Commission.

CMS Extends 2010 Medicare Enrollment

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians have until Jan. 31 to decide if they want to change their participation status in the Medicare program next year.

PDR and HCNN Now One

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) has merged with the Health Care Notification Network (HCNN), the only service that delivers U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-required drug alerts to physicians electronically.

House Votes to Stop Medicare Fee Cuts

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With Texan Michael Burgess, MD, the only Republican to support it, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 3961 on a 243-183 vote on Nov. 19. The bill would derail the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plan to cut payments to physicians by 21.2 percent on Jan. 1.

You Can Be a Jolly Goodfellow

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Full-time family practice physicians are needed at the Goodfellow Air Force Base Outpatient Clinic in San Angelo.

Texas Doctors: “Senate Health Plan Bad Medicine for Our Patients”

(Pat) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After careful analysis of both the good and bad provisions of the U.S. Senate health system reform bill (HR 3590), the Texas Medical Association has determined that it will not support the bill until it undergoes some necessary and significant changes.

CMS Moves Ahead With Medicare Fee Cut

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Unless Congress intervenes (again), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will cut payments to physicians by 21.2 percent on Jan. 1.

Texas to Start Cystic Fibrosis Screening

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services will include cystic fibrosis as part of the newborn screening panel in December.

Webinar: Patient-Physician Relationship

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Identifying when a patient-physician relationship exists and recognizing the difficulties in terminating that relationship are the subjects of a free Webinar, Patient-Physician Relationship, available through the TMA Web site.

AMA Honors Dr. Goodman

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The American Medical Association has recognized the tremendous service that TMA Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer Louis J. Goodman, PhD, has provided to the profession of medicine.

Workers' Comp Conversion Factors Raised

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to TMA's continuing efforts to improve the workers' compensation system for physicians and patients, the 2010 workers' compensation medical fee guideline conversion factors will increase.

DocSite Makes Getting PQRI Bonus Easy

(Andrea) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There is still time to get a 2-percent Medicare bonus for participating in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

CMS Changes PQRI, e-Prescribing Programs

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on the 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule includes revisions to the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and the E-Prescribing Incentive Program.

Feds Revise DMEPOS Rules

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you help your Medicare patients obtain certain medical equipment and supplies, such as oxygen or power wheelchairs, you need to know about new requirements for Medicare suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS).

DSHS Surveys Cervical Cancer Screening

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How much do physicians know about the need for screening to prevent cervical cancer and the resources available to screen for and detect the cancer? That's what Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) officials want to find out.

Austin Summit Addresses HIV Testing

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians are invited to attend the Test Texas HIV Coalition Summit Dec. 3-4 at the Marriott Airport South Hotel in Austin.

TMA Makes Using PubMed Even Easier

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The National Library of Medicine has redesigned and improved its index of medical journals, PubMed. While retaining functionality, the interface was simplified to make it easier to use.

FTC Delays Red Flags Rule Until June

(Andrea) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Congressional pressure has prompted the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to delay implementation of its "red flags rule" until June 1.

Smokeout Helps Patients Quit Smoking

(Shari) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On Thursday, Nov. 19, many Americans will try to kick their cigarette habit during the Great American Smokeout.

San Antonio Needs a Doctor

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Alamo City Medical Group is currently recruiting for a family practice physician in San Antonio. A physician board-certified or board-eligible in family practice is highly preferred.

Bill Exempts Small Practices From Red Flags Rule

(Shari) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Small physician and accounting practices are exempt from the Federal Trade Commission's "red flags rule" under legislation the U.S. House of Representatives passed on Oct. 20.

FDA Approves Peramivir Use for H1N1

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Rapid spread of the H1N1 flu virus has prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize the use of the investigational antiviral drug peramivir.

PBF Helps Us Take Care of Our Own

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The TMA Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF) helps those in the extended TMA family who need support because of poverty, infirmity, disability, accident, or other adversity. This extended family embraces physicians, their widows, widowers, and dependents.

EMR Guide Links to a Better Future

(Shari) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The potential of health information technology, including electronic medical records (EMRs), to strengthen the health care system and improve quality of care has garnered nationwide attention.

TMA Foundation Plans 2010 TexMed Benefit

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The TMA Foundation's 17th annual benefit on Friday, April 30, 2010, offers a night filled with Western charm and entertainment.

How Would You Change the 1500 Form?

(Larry) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC) is asking physicians, insurers, and others in the health care industry to complete a survey on potential changes to the 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form.

Emergency Medicare Votes Coming

(Steve) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association urges members to contact U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn today and ask them to support S 1776, the "Medicare Physicians Fairness Act of 2009," which will be the subject of a critical vote in the Senate Monday, Oct. 19.

Continue Reform Fight, TMA Tells Cornyn

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Senate Finance Committee has approved a health system reform bill, but the work to bring about meaningful reform is far from over, the Texas Medical Association believes.

STAT!Ref Delivered Through TMA Web Site

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You can take it with you! STAT!Ref mobile, that is. STAT!Ref has been optimized for delivery on mobile devices. Now, you can get smart health care answers stat, right from your smartphone.

TEXPAC Hosts Senate Candidate Forum

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Six Texans who want to be the next U.S. senator from our state will make their cases to the Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC) at a candidate forum at 7 pm Oct. 24 during the TMA Specialty Society Legislative Retreat at the Westin Stonebriar Hotel in Frisco.

TPHP Governing Board Appointed

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Medical Board President Irvin Zeitler, DO, has appointed the members of the governing board of the Texas Physician Health Program (TPHP).

Entrust Your Insurance to TMLT

(Shari) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) has a new colleague referral program called Entrust.

Medicare Begins 2008 PQRI Payments

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicare began making 2008 incentive payments to physicians participating in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) on Oct. 12.

Are You Ready for the RAC?

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are you prepared to deal with Medicare's Recovery Audit Contractor program to recover improperly paid claims next year? If not, TMA can help make sure you are.

Medicaid, Medicare to Reimburse for H1N1

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicaid will reimburse physicians for administering the intranasal or injected H1N1 vaccine, the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership says in a notice posted on its Web site.

Blue Cross Doctor Data Stolen

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Blue Cross and Blue Shield officials say a laptop computer with a file containing identifying information for every physician in the country who contracts with a Blue Cross-affiliated insurance plan was stolen in August.

TDI Offers Workers' Comp Help By Phone

(Shari) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians who treat workers' compensation patients can get information and guidance from the Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers' Compensation by calling the new Comp Connection for Health Care Providers at (800) 372-7713 or, in the Austin area, (512) 804-4000.

Nominate a 'Champion' Health Program

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Oct. 30 is the deadline to nominate a health improvement program for the 2010 TMA Foundation John P. McGovern Champion of Health Award.

Honor a Science Teacher

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Did a science teacher influence you to go into medicine? Or, has your child had an exceptional teacher who gets him or her excited about science? If so, be sure your teachers know about TMA's Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching.

We Need Your Help! Take a Survey

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA encourages you to participate in a brief national survey to help better understand and evaluate how physicians can be incorporated into, and be reimbursed for participating in, employer-based health improvement and other employer health-management programs.

Earn a Bonus for Your EMR

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You may be able to earn bonuses through Medicare (up to $44,000) or Medicaid (up to $63,750) over the next several years if you demonstrate "meaningful use" of an electronic medical record (EMR) system in your practice.

Red Flags Rule Starts in November

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) oft-delayed "red flags rule" is scheduled to take effect Nov. 1, and physicians need to know how the rule will affect their practices.

El Paso Last House Call Stop

(Shari) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The final TMA "House Call" on health system reform will be in El Paso on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, at Cathedral High School at 1309 N. Stanton.

Five Things to Consider This Flu Season

(Pat) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

From TMA Flu Fighters: H1N1 may infect a greater proportion of our population than is typically experienced with seasonal influenza. As a result, we may see greater numbers of hospitalizations and deaths this flu season, particularly in the younger age groups and in patients with underlying high-risk conditions. Here are five things you may want to consider.

TMA Schedules McAllen, El Paso House Calls

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has added two more events to its series of "House Calls" on health system reform so physicians can learn firsthand how patients feel about the current health system reform proposals.

Flu Fighters' Tips On Fighting the Flu

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians and patients battling H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu this season have someone in their corner. A subcommittee of the TMA Committee on Infectious Diseases, known as the Flu Fighters, will answer questions and keep practitioners up to date on H1N1 information.

It's 'Collection Season'

(Shari) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

October is the beginning of "collection season" for agencies, a roughly six-month period of mostly increasing recoveries.

Doctor Wanted

(Shari) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A family practice physician position/practice is available in a critical access hospital and rural health clinic in a small, rural community between Fort Worth and Red River.

TMA Offers Congress Insights on Reform

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Noting that physicians "should advocate for the well-being of their patients," Texas Medical Association President William H. Fleming III, MD, has written Texas members of Congress that the state's physicians "stand ready to help our patients – your constituents – obtain the health insurance coverage that meets their needs and keep it when they need it most."

CMS Issues New Medicare Marketing Rules

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Responding to concerns about marketing and sales of Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Part D plans, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued rules to prevent abuses and protect patients.

Tort Reform Prompts More TMLT Premium Cuts

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the seventh time since TMA pushed liability insurance reform through the legislature in 2003, the Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) is cutting physicians' premiums.

DSHS Ships H1N1 Antivirals to H-E-B

(Pat) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has shipped H1N1 antivirals to 194 H-E-B pharmacies in 42 Texas counties to make sure the medication is available for uninsured and underinsured persons.

New Law Affects Pregnancy Testing

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Effective Jan. 1, a new state law will change the way pregnant women are tested for HIV.

New Network Enhances Patient Safety

(Shari) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Health Care Notification Network, which offers U.S. Food and Drug Administration drug and medical device recalls and safety alerts, has merged with the Physicians' Desk Reference to form the PDR Network.

Posters Educate Patients About Reform

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You can influence the message your patients receive on health system reform by using your waiting room and exam room walls.

Foundation Says HSR Balloons Health Cost

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Health system reform (HSR) has never been attempted in the face of "deep and persistent" physician shortages developing in the United States. Furthermore, it is "untenable to believe that the large increases in spending that are contemplated by insurance reform will not be matched by substantial increases in the demand for physicians."

State Plans for Tamiflu Shortage

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State health officials are anticipating limited availability of commercial Tamiflu oral suspension by posting dosage charts on the www.texasflu.org Web site.

AMA Defines Seven Health Reform Principles

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Congress should adopt health system reforms that will benefit all Americans, American Medical Association President Jim Rohack, MD, says in a letter to President Obama and Congress.

Medicaid Corrects Cardiac Code Errors

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State Medicaid officials say they mistakenly deactivated coverage for numerous cardiac and other codes.

HHSC Seeks Translators

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is accepting applications for membership on the Advisory Committee on Qualifications for Health Care Translators and Interpreters.

H1N1 Vaccine Coming in October

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has notified Texas Department of State Health Services officials that Texas can expect to receive its first shipment of novel H1N1 flu vaccine during the first week of October, a second shipment by mid-October, and regular weekly shipments by the end of the month.

Suehs Replaces Hawkins at HHSC

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gov. Rick Perry appointed Thomas Suehs executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).

Use Your Own Billboards

(Steve) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Do you want to influence the message your patients receive on health system reform? You can. All you have to do is use your waiting room and exam room walls.

Texas Child Vaccination Rank Soars

(Shari) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In a poll much more important than the BCS, Texas jumped 10 spots in immunization of children, thanks in part to TMA's emphasis on immunization through its Be Wise — Immunize campaign.

New WIC Rules Start Next Month

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New requirements for physicians are part of changes in the state's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) that take effect Oct. 1.

Assess Your Billing and Collections

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Do you know if your staff effectively works your accounts receivable? TMA Practice Consulting recommends that you establish goals for accounts receivable follow-up, which will enable you and your practice manager to better measure staff performance and analyze staffing needs.

DSHS Extends School Vaccination Period

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has given parents until Oct. 1 to have their children immunized to comply with some of the vaccination requirements for attending Texas schools.

Advertise on the TMA Web Site

(Shari) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

e-MDs, Inc. a physician-owned and physician-led company that develops electronic medical record software, is recruiting physician applicants for a one-year health information technology training program. Check out this service (and others) in the TMA Online Classifieds.

TMA Expands Health Reform House Calls

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA and county medical society leaders have added new town hall meetings – "House Calls" – in Wichita Falls and Greenville in September so physicians can learn firsthand how more patients feel about the current health system reform proposals.

TMB Allows Expedited Partner Therapy

(Shari) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians now may treat the sex partners of patients diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea without first examining the partner, thanks to an amendment adopted by the Texas Medical Board (TMB).

DSHS Only Source of H1N1 Vaccine

(Pat) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Any physician wanting novel H1NI influenza vaccine must get it from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The vaccine is free, but will not be available through the normal vaccine-purchasing and distribution process.

AMA Offers HSR Resources

(Shari) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The American Medical Association is trying to calm some of the confusing din over health system reform (HSR). AMA President Jim Rohack, MD, explains what AMA is trying to do, why it took the position it did, and what it is doing to help physicians get a handle on the reform effort.

TMA Launches Health System Reform Campaign

(Pat) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Believing that President Obama and Congress must slow down and get health system reform right, the Texas Medical Association has launched the "Me and My Doctor, We Know Best" patient-physician action campaign.

Heard From Humana or HRI? We Want to Know

(Shari) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Has Humana approved or rejected your appeal of the company's decisions to remove you from its Medicare Advantage PPO and/or Preferred PPO/Preferred Point of Service networks? Have you received a letter from Health Research Insights (HRI) demanding recoupment of overpayments caused by "incorrect claims."

Get Ready! Swine Flu Is Coming!

(Shari) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians can get their practices ready for a resurgence of H1N1 (swine flu) influenza expected this fall by attending one of the regional conferences the Texas Department of State Health Services will hold across Texas in August and September.

Nominate an Outstanding Science Teacher

(Shari) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA encourages you to nominate exceptional science teachers for the 2009-10 Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching.

State Warns of Minutes Solicitation

(Shari) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade is warning incorporated businesses that a Los Angeles company calling itself the "Office of The Compliance Recorder" is mailing an official-looking document that claims directors and shareholders could face personal liability and loss of limited liability status if they do not complete an Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement.

Take Your Health Care Concerns to the Top

(Pat) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Without a doubt, the health care discussion in Washington is the most pressing public policy debate medicine has seen in the last 15 years. While the outcome is unknown, all legislation is as much process driven as it is policy driven. And it's driven by real grassroots action. That's where you make the difference.

TMA Holds Health Reform House Calls

(Shari) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA and county medical society leaders are hosting town hall meetings – "House Calls" – around the state through the rest of the month so that physicians can learn firsthand how patients feel about the current health system reform proposals.

Comment Soon on Medicare Fee Cuts

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Aug. 31 is the deadline to comment on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposal for cutting Medicare payments to physicians by 21.5 percent next year.

Blue Cross Settlement Checks on the Way

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians who filed claims in the $131 million settlement of organized medicine's antiracketeering lawsuit against Blue Cross and Blue Shield should receive their checks by mid-August, says Joe R. Whatley Jr., JD, one of the attorneys representing physicians in the lawsuit.

FTC Delays Red Flags Rule Three Months

(Pat) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks in part to organized medicine's objections, the Federal Trade Commission postponed its "red flags rule" until Nov. 1 to give businesses, including physicians, more time to comply with the anti-identity theft rules.

Newborn Screening Rules Change

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Spurred by criticism from a group of parents, state lawmakers passed legislation allowing parents of children born in Texas to direct the Texas Department of State Health Services to destroy dried bloodspot samples.

Treatments That Work; Free Facts From TMA

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Newsweek writer Sharon Begley has written "A Science Fact Check," about why it makes sense to study which treatments work and which don't. This article highlights the Cochrane Collection, one of the world's largest collections of volunteer scientists and physicians.

TMA Committee Helps Prevent Pertussis

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Committee on Infectious Diseases is working with Williamson County officials and health care workers to slow the spread of pertussis by campaigning for vaccinations. The project will focus on promoting Tdap vaccine in Williamson County, where officials have reported a steady rise in the number of pertussis cases.

TMA Wants 'Meaningful Use' Meaningful

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association agrees in principle with the federal government's attempt to define "meaningful use" of electronic medical records, especially with how it moves "from 'pay-for-reporting' in 2011 to 'pay-for-doing' in 2013 and then 'pay-for-improving outcomes' in 2015."

Free PQRI Webinar Coming From TMA, TrailBlazer

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you have wondered whether Medicare's quality incentive program is worth your while, or if you are not sure how to participate, take a free online seminar to learn more.

Texas Electronic Prescriptions Soar

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas physicians are writing more prescriptions than ever, according to a survey by SureScripts, the organization that operates the country's largest electronic prescribing network.

State Plans for Swine Flu Surge

(Pat) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Department of State Health Services officials say they are planning for the potential resurgence of the H1N1, or swine flu, virus in the fall with a Texas Pandemic Influenza Summit in Austin on Aug. 10.

Add CHIP to Special Session, TMA Says

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA President William H. Fleming III, MD, urged Gov. Rick Perry to add legislation expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to the agenda for the special session of the Texas Legislature that begins today, July 1.

Sign Up for Border Health Newsletter

(Shari) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You can stay up to date on the work of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission by subscribing to the commission's E-Border Health bulletins.

TMA, AMA Question HIT Incentives Timeline

(Shari) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA, the American Medical Association, and dozens of other physician organizations told federal officials they generally support the federal government's attempt to define "meaningful use" of electronic health records, but they have some reservations.

TMA Monitors State Recoupment Actions

(Andrea) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is sending letters to approximately 125 physicians and 75 hospitals to recover payments HHSC says were made erroneously for services provided to patients residing in institutions of mental disease.

2009 CME Conference in July

(Shari) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you are involved in planning the content of continuing medical education (CME) activities for your hospital, county medical society, specialty society, or other organization, you'll find the upcoming 2009 Texas CME Conference, July 22-24 in San Antonio, to be extremely helpful.

Medical Educator Award Nominations Sought

(Shari) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Do you know an outstanding medical educator deserving recognition? If so, you may nominate him or her to receive the TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award. Nominations are accepted until Aug. 15.

TMA Classifieds Online

(Shari) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

American Corporate Services serves more than 6,000 medical facilities with their discounted medical forms, supplies, and office products. Check out this service (and others) in the TMA Online Classifieds.

Encourage Parents to Vaccinate Kids Now

(Shari) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services has changed vaccination requirements for children. Students entering kindergarten and seventh grade may need more shots before the school year begins.

Red Flag Rules Start Aug. 1

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Federal Trade Commission says physicians who regularly bill their patients for services (including billing for copayments and coinsurance) are creditors and must develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs for their practices by Aug. 1.

Medicare Scam Alert!

(Shari) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says someone posing as a Medicare carrier or Medicare administrative contractor is sending faxes to physician offices instructing physician staff to provide an account information update within 48 hours to prevent a gap in Medicare payments.

Reform Main Topic of TMA Fall Conference

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

During his speech at the annual American Medical Association meeting in Chicago last month, President Barack Obama emphasized the importance of physician participation in the debate over health system reform. The nation's sharp focus on health care issues gives physicians an opportunity to address many of the problems they face daily in caring for their patients. One of those opportunities is TMA's 2009 Fall Conference Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4-5, in Austin.

Governor Vetoes Bad Liability Bill

(Pat) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Responding to a request from the Texas Medical Association, Gov. Rick Perry vetoed legislation that would allow hospitals to hire physicians. TMA asked the governor to veto the bill because it would have weakened the landmark liability lawsuit reforms the governor, TMA, and its member physicians fought so hard to pass in 2003.

Public Option Not Single-Payer, Obama Says

(Pat) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

President Obama told American Medical Association delegates on June 15 that the Health Insurance Exchange Program, or public option, portion of his health system reform plan is not "a Trojan horse for a single-payer system."

BCBS Settlement Money Coming This Summer

(Shari) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The final appeal surrounding the settlement of the antiracketeering lawsuit against the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association have been resolved, and the more than $130 million in settlement funds will be distributed this summer, says TMA General Counsel Donald P. Wilcox, JD.

Seminar Clarifies New HIPAA Provisions

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA is offering a new seminar to help physicians comply with changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) contained in the economic stimulus package Congress passed earlier this year.

Obama to Push Reform at AMA Meeting

(Larry) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

President Obama will make his case for health system reform Monday when he addresses the annual American Medical Association meeting in Chicago. It may be tough sell, though.

TMHP Seeks Workshop Feedback

(Pat) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) is conducting a physician survey to help it decide how its educational workshops can better help physicians and their staff.

CMS Posts PQRI Resources

(Shari) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted an article on its Web site to help medical practice office managers get physicians started reporting 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) measures.

Political Prognosis: TMA Scores Wins in Legislative Session

(Pat) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's all over but the crying – and possibly the vetoes. The 2009 Texas Legislature wrapped up its 140-day session on June 1 with a flurry of last-minute activity resulting largely from House Democrats' successful efforts to "chub" the controversial voter ID bill to death.

Humana Purges Physicians From MA Networks

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Humana is notifying physicians across Texas that is it kicking them out of Humana's Medicare Advantage (MA) PPO and/or Preferred PPO/Preferred Point of Service networks as of Aug. 1.

Physician Testimony Aids Legislative Wins

(Pat) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's success in the just-completed session of the Texas Legislature was due in large part to physicians who provided key testimony to House and Senate committees as they conducted hearings on health care-related bills.

DSHS Clarifies Lab Flu Testing

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Public health laboratories' role in influenza testing is primarily surveillance to monitor the distribution and spread of the virus, detection of new variants of the virus, and assistance in outbreak investigations, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) says in a statement issued last month.

No Pertussis Vaccine Equals Big Risk

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Children who are not vaccinated against pertussis have 23 times the chance of contracting the illness than those who are immunized, the June issue of Pediatrics reports.

Heard from HRI?

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have you received a letter from Health Research Insights (HRI) saying it has analyzed your claims information and it is demanding recoupment of overpayments caused by incorrect claims? If so, contact Erin Gregorcyk in TMA's Payment Advocacy Department.

TMA, AMA Plan Stimulus HIT Webinars

(Shari) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA and the American Medical Association will sponsor Webinars to help physicians take advantage of the $19 billion for health information technology (HIT) in President Obama's economic stimulus package in June and July.

TMA Outlines Policy Options for Senate

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has let the U.S. Senate Finance Committee know where it stands on a wide range of health care policies.

TMHP Accepts Hurricane Claims

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicaid physicians who treated evacuees from hurricanes Ike or Dolly may be able to get paid through a special Social Services Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Make Insurers Keep Their Promises

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The nation's largest for-profit health insurers have agreed to change the way they do business because of the class action federal lawsuits that the Texas Medical Association and other medical societies across the country filed against them. However, physicians need to remain vigilant to make sure the companies comply with the terms of the lawsuit settlements.

Franchise Tax Deadline Is Here

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Today, May 15, is the deadline for physicians and other businesses to pay their annual franchise tax.

Political Prognosis: The End is Near

(Pat) — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With only two weeks left in the 2009 session of the Texas Legislature, both the House and Senate expect to work late into the night every day through the end of the session. However, many bills are likely to die because of a series of deadlines that began kicking in on May 11.

First Tuesdays Program Sets Record

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

More than 1,100 physicians, TMA Alliance members, and medical students came to Austin this year to take part in the First Tuesdays at the Capitol program to push for passage of Doctor’s Orders, TMA's legislative agenda.

Starting a New Practice?

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Whether starting out fresh from a residency program or starting over in an independent practice, a myriad of tasks and important decisions awaits you.

Get Payment Help from TMA

(Shari) — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Verifying insurance, filing timely and clean claims, managing denials, and common mistakes are among the topics to be discussed during a TMA-sponsored three-part audio series, "Revenue Cycle Management: Getting Paid in 2009," on June 10, 17, and 24.

TMA Tool Helps You Find Right EMR

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA members have overwhelmingly indicated they need help when it comes to health information technology. They specifically want help choosing the right electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Coding Resources Free Online for Members

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Make sure your coding practices are up to date! Two of the best-selling medical coding books are now available free to TMA members. Available through Stat!Ref, 2009 HCPCS Level II Codes and 2009 ICD-9 Vol 1-3 put the coding information you need at your fingertips.

Toolkit Improves Patient Health

(Shari) — Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA is offering the American Medical Association's Healthier Life Steps program to help you improve your patients' lifestyles and overall health.

Fitness Equals Better TAKS Score

(Shari) — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The more physically fit a middle school student is, the better he or she scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test, a student at The University of Texas School of Public Health has found.

H1N1 Resources on the Web

(Pat) — Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The latest information and resources to help physicians deal with the outbreak of the H1N1, or swine flu, virus are posted on TMA's H1N1 Resource Center and on the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web sites.

FTC Delays 'Red Flag' Rules Until August

(Shari) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted on April 30 to delay until Aug. 1 implementation of its "red flag" regulations that require physicians and others whom the FTC considers "creditors" to develop written policies to prevent identity theft.

TMA Posts EMR Comparison Tool

(Shari) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Council on Practice Management Services and Ad Hoc Committee on Health Information Technology have posted a comparison tool physicians can use in selecting an electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Nobel Laureate Joins Cancer Institute

(Shari) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nobel Prize winner Alfred Gilman, MD, PHD, dean of The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, has accepted the position of chief scientific officer for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

Medicaid Matters

(Shari) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's what's happening in the Texas Medicaid program this month.

DSHS Proposes HIV/STD Reporting Changes

(Pat) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State health officials are seeking comments on proposed changes to rules for reporting cases of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. They say the changes will improve the timeliness and completeness of reporting and streamline the public health follow-up process.

TMA Physicians Appointed to TMB

(Shari) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Four TMA member physicians are among Gov. Rick Perry's seven appointments to the Texas Medical Board.

DSHS Improving Death Registration

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State health department officials say physician complaints are prompting them to change the Texas Electronic Death Registration system.

Last First Tuesdays Event Coming Up

(Shari) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tomorrow, May 5, is your last chance to take part in the First Tuesdays at the Capitol program during the 2009 legislative session.

Blue Cross to Can Ratings Scheme

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas told Attorney General Greg Abbott earlier this month it will stop using the controversial Risk Adjusted Cost Index tool to rate physicians' performance in its BlueChoice Solutions program. The company also pledged not to punish physicians for referring patients for medically necessary care outside its network.

Political Prognosis: Session's Time Running Out

(Shari) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's getting to the point in the Texas Legislature where time dwindles and pressure increases exponentially daily. With fewer than 50 days left in the 2009 session, observers say that hundreds, if not thousands, of bills could die this week when their sponsors can't move them out of committee. House and Senate rules place fairly strict limits on what bills can be considered on the floor during the last month of a session, particularly on bills that have not already passed the opposite chamber. So lawmakers are scrambling to move as many of the 7,000-plus bills filed this session through the process as possible.

TMA Backs Rescinding 'Conscience' Rule

(Steve) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA, AMA, and state medical societies across the country support the Obama administration's plan to rescind a federal rule that prohibits recipients of federal funds from forcing physicians and other health care professionals to participate in actions they find religiously or morally objectionable.

CMS Wants PQRI Reporting Options

(Shari) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting suggestions for options to report quality data for possible inclusion in the 2010 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) until 4 pm on April 17.

Are You Challenged by Overhead Costs?

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If your practice is like many today, rising overhead costs combine with falling revenues to erode your bottom line. It may be time for TMA Practice Consulting to take a hard look at your practice's efficiency, expenses, and cost structure.

DSHS Posts Rotavirus Information

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has posted new recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for administering the Rotarix vaccine to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis.

New Medicaid Women's Benefits

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Starting April 1, the state Medicaid Women's Health Program is offering new benefits.

United's Physician Ratings Go Public

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare made the physician ratings under its Premium Designation program public on its member Web site, www.myuhc.com, on April 1.

Social Networking on TMA Web Site

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are you looking for a way to connect with other physicians or practice managers? Have you been trying to find other practices similar to yours using electronic medical records? Do you want to discuss problems you're having with payers?

McGovern Foundation Supports TMAF Again

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the third year, the John P. McGovern Foundation in Houston has approved a $10,000 challenge grant to the TMA Foundation (TMAF) as the basis of its Star/Superstar campaign.

TMA's Health System Reform Principles

(Pat) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Your Texas Medical Association will not sit and watch as Congress and the Obama administration develop their plans to reform the nation's health care system. Acting at the direction of the TMA House of Delegates, the TMA Select Committee on Health System Reform has developed guiding principles the association will follow as it makes Texas physicians' voices heard in Washington.

TMA Launches 'Right to Know' Initiative

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texans have a right to know exactly what their health insurance covers, and on March 25 the Texas Medical Association joined legislative leaders to launch an initiative to give them that right. TMA began its grassroots outreach campaign "Patients' Right to Know" to engage Texans in an effort to pass legislation that would reform health insurance, making it much easier for patients to understand.

CMS Orders Ownership Disclosure

(Shari) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicare rules that take effect June 8 require Medicare physicians to tell their patients – in writing at the time of referral – if they or their immediate family members have an ownership or investment interest in the hospital to which they are referring them for treatment. They will lose their medical staff membership and admitting privileges if they don't.

Gimson to Head Cancer Institute

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

William Gimson, chief operating officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, became the first executive director of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas on March 30.

TMA Weighs in on Weighty Issues

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has joined the American Medical Association and other medical societies across the nation in expressing their views on new policies that would have a serious impact on physician practices.

TMLT to Award Medical Student Scholarships

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Four Texas medical school students will receive $10,000 scholarships, thanks to the 2009 Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) Memorial Scholarship program.

State Changes Immunization Rules

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New state health department requirements for school immunizations take effect Aug. 1. The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said it changed them so they more closely adhere to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Political Prognosis: Fun's Over, The Work Begins

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Weekly Editor Ross Ramsey observed in early March that the "county fair" section of the legislative session was coming to a close. Indeed, the festival-like atmosphere that dominates the early days of a legislative session is over, and lawmakers are getting down to serious business, although still at something of a snail's pace.

Red Flags Audio Conference Coming

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA will host an audio conference on April 16, from noon to 1 pm, on the Federal Trade Commission's "red flags" regulations that require physicians to develop written identity theft prevention programs.

Perry Wins Nathan Davis Award

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Acting on a nomination from TMA, the American Medical Association honored Gov. Rick Perry with its Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service.

UT Regents Approve UTMB Restoration Plan

(Larry) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

University of Texas regents have done their part to save The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston. Now it's up to the Texas Legislature.

Keep Kids Safe with a Helmet Giveaway

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Help keep kids safe this summer by strapping a helmet on their heads during Bike Month in May. TMA's Hard Hats for Little Heads program makes it easy to sponsor a head injury prevention event in your community.

ICD-10 Delay Confirmed

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The two-year delay in implementing the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code sets has received the final approval from the Obama administration.

Medicaid Takes on Smoking

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State Medicaid officials say they are trying to help clients stop smoking by changing the program’s coverage policy and starting a pilot program to see if counseling helps.

Stimulus HIT Money: Promises and Questions

(Andrea) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The $19 billion in funding for health information technology (HIT) in the federal economic stimulus bill offers some big promises to physicians who use electronic medical records (EMRs) in a “meaningful” way. But the bill also leaves many important questions unanswered.

Workers' Comp Fines Levied

(Larry) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State Workers' Compensation Commissioner Rod Bordelon fined nine insurance companies and two physicians $169,800 for violating state workers’ compensation regulations.

Make Medical Collections Less Taxing

(Steve) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's endorsed provider of collection services, I.C. System, offers two suggestions for recovering more money:

Two More First Tuesdays Remain

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Don't miss your chance to influence legislation that affects you and your patients. TMA urges physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance members to make their presence felt in Austin in the 2009 legislative session by participating in First Tuesdays at the Capitol.

Supreme Court Sides With TMA Against Wyeth

(Pat) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Supreme Court says the Texas Medical Association and others are right that federal law does not protect pharmaceutical giant Wyeth from lawsuits in state court. The justices voted 6-3 to side with TMA, the Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT), and the North Carolina Medical Society and uphold a Vermont court ruling in favor of a patient harmed by a drug manufactured by Wyeth.

Patients' Right to Know

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Health insurance reform is TMA's main priority in the 2009 legislative session, and the association is taking bold steps to convince lawmakers to make insurers' business practices more transparent and accountable to physicians and patients.

Medicaid Starts Loan Repayment Program

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State officials have launched a physician loan repayment program as part of their effort to enhance the Medicaid program. Applications are due by June 1.

Insurance Watchdog Needs Testers

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Physicians Advocacy Institute has a new database that gives you the tools to tell exactly how insurers are processing the claims you file and allows you to keep an eye on them to make sure they are keeping their promises to change the way they do business. The database lets you know whether the insurer paid the claim at the correct fee schedule and paid promptly in compliance with state laws and contract terms.

TMA, AMA: Red Flags Raise Red Flags

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has joined the American Medical Association and 25 other medical associations in objecting to defining physicians as creditors, thus making them subject to the Federal Trade Commission's regulations that would require them to develop written identity theft prevention programs.

RACs Recoupment Wrong, TMA Says

(Shari) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicare's effort to recoup improper payments to physicians through its Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program "is an enormous burden on the affected physicians and has failed to further the worthy goal of eradicating frequent billing mistakes." So say TMA, AMA, and other medical societies in a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Acting Director Charlene Frizzera.

BCBS Coding Provisions in Effect

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Several coding provisions of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) settlement agreement, which provide for greater transparency in claims processing and payment practices, took effect Jan. 21.

DSHS Changes Lab Submission Rules

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will adopt more stringent acceptance/rejection criteria for submitting laboratory specimens for syphilis (RPR and TPPA), HIV, and hepatitis C testing on March 12. Starting that day, the DSHS laboratory will accept serum specimens only if they are shipped cold and received within five days of specimen collection.

TMA Releases Quality Studies Paper

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

At the behest of TMA President Josie R. Williams, MD, the TMA Councils on Scientific Affairs and Socioeconomics launched a series of case studies to examine what Texas physicians are doing to improve quality and patient safety. The result is A Texas Medical Association Case Studies Report: Achieving Quality and Patient Safety in the Delivery of Health Care for All Texans, which outlines Texas physicians' efforts.

What Stimulus Means to Texas Health Care

(Pat) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

State health officials have released preliminary information on major health and human services allocations for Texas in the $789 billion economic stimulus bill President Obama signed. The largest portion is $5.45 billion for Medicaid through the first quarter of 2011.

Ike Relief Fund Deadline Looms

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

March 16 is the deadline for physicians to apply for financial help to rebuild their practices damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

What's NOT in the Stimulus Bill

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You may have heard or read some glaring inaccuracies during the debate over the economic stimulus bill, specifically widespread reports and commentaries that mischaracterize some provisions of the package pertaining to health information technology and to comparative effectiveness research.

Stimulus Has Billions for Texas Medicaid

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Texas will receive $5.45 billion for Medicaid through the first quarter of 2011 from the $789 billion economic stimulus bill Congress sent to President Obama, according to a Government Accountability Office report. The bill allocates $86.6 billion for state Medicaid programs over 27 months.

TMA's Ambitious Legislative Agenda

(Larry) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The 2009 session of the Texas Legislature opened session Jan. 13 but lawmakers didn't exactly bolt from the starting gate like thoroughbreds. Political observers say the legislature is off to a slow start, due largely to the transition to a new speaker of the House. This, coupled with a tight budget situation, may have dampened lawmakers' enthusiasm for passing a lot of legislation this session.

Autism, Vaccination Not Linked, Court Says

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Citing evidence, not sentiment, a special court of three federal judges on Feb. 12 said it found no link between autism and vaccinations.

TMA Sues CIGNA, Aetna Over Secret Data

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association has joined a pair of class-action lawsuits against CIGNA Corp. and Aetna Health, Inc. for using a flawed system to underpay physicians for out-of-network medical services and force patients to pay an excessive portion of the costs. The lawsuits, filed last week in a New Jersey federal court, contend that CIGNA and Aetna used the system for more than a decade.

Spend Your First Tuesdays in Austin

(Shari) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Don't miss your chance to influence legislation that affects you and your patients. TMA urges physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance members to make their presence felt in Austin this year by participating in First Tuesdays at the Capitol.

Robinson, Dr. Moore Take Key TMB Spots

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mari Robinson, JD, will become executive director of the Texas Medical Board (TMB), and Alan T. Moore, MD, will become the agency's medical director on March 1. Both have served in interim capacities in recent months.

RACs Back On

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials say the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program will resume after the agency resolved a protest that delayed its attempt to recoup improper Medicare payments to physicians and health care professionals.

Physician Ownership Limits Scrapped

(Shari) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Limitations on physicians' hospital ownership rights are not contained in the $32.8 billion bill reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the next four-and-a-half years that President Obama signed Feb. 4.

Dollars for Scholars

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Do you know a student who plans to enter a Texas medical school in the fall? If so, please visit TMA's scholarship page to find out whether he or she qualifies for any of the scholarship opportunities available later this year.

DSHS Issues Pentacel Advisory

(Shari) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State health officials say physicians should use Pentacel only for the first three doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP), inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination series until the U.S. supply of the Hib vaccine improves.

Stimulus Bill Addresses Health Issues

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

More money for Medicaid, additional funding for programs for the uninsured, and an investment in health information technology are included in President Barack Obama's $819 billion economic stimulus package the U.S. House of Representatives passed Jan. 28.

United Extends Appeal Deadline to Feb. 11

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to complaints from the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, and physicians nationwide, UnitedHealthcare has extended its deadline for you to appeal your rating in UnitedHealthcare's Premium Designation Program if you think it's wrong. United will not publish or use the rating until your request for reconsideration is resolved, if you file it by Feb. 11.

Governor Outlines Legislative Agenda

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gov. Rick Perry took some forceful stands on issues critical to the long-term health of Texas and Texans in his State of the State address to the legislature last week.

Medicare Makes Participation Even Harder

(Larry) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicare is curtailing physicians' ability to retroactively bill for services provided while they were waiting for Medicare to enroll them or update their enrollment information, such as when they move their offices.

AG Backs Mental Illness Coverage

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of Insurance says it expects health plans to comply with an attorney general's opinion that "group health plans that provide more than 60 outpatient visits for physical illnesses must ... provide the same number of visits for serious mental illness."

Obama Cites Health Care Reform Basics

(Shari) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Health care reform didn't get a lot of attention in President Barack Obama's inaugural address, but he did mention it as one way to improve the nation's fiscal status.

Use the Web to Keep Patients Safe

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physician practices now have free access to three new online resources to help improve patient safety. The Health Research and Educational Trust, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, and the Medical Group Management Association have released Pathways for Patient Safety, a series of Web-based tools aimed at increasing awareness, knowledge, and implementation of best practices to reduce the risk of patient harm in physician practices.

Hurricane Ike Waivers Discontinued Feb. 1

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Medicaid discontinued the special waivers for services rendered to clients in ZIP codes affected by Hurricane Ike on Feb. 1. You must file any remaining Hurricane Ike claims for services rendered from Sept. 9, 2008, through Jan. 31, 2009, within 95 days of Feb. 1.

Eureka! Feds Delay ICD-10 for Two Years

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) got the message: Don't rush to implement the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code sets. HHS has just adopted a final rule that delays the compliance deadline from Oct. 1, 2011, to Oct. 1, 2013. The final rule also pushed back implementation of the 5010 electronic claim form from April 1, 2010, to Jan. 1, 2012.

House Bill Limits Physician Ownership

(Pat) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Language limiting physicians' hospital ownership rights is contained in a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The bill raises the cigarette tax by 61 cents to fund CHIP reauthorization and expansion.

DocSite Simplifies PQRI

(Andrea) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

TMA-endorsed vendor DocSite offers TMA members a simple, free way to satisfy the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) requirements and qualify for incentive payments.

United Scraps 'Usual and Customary' System

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare has agreed to shut down the controversial system it uses to determine "usual, customary, and reasonable" (UCR) charges – a system the American Medical Association and New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo called a scheme to defraud patients and physicians on medical bills for out-of-network services. The company also agreed to pay to develop a new system to determine fair out-of-network reimbursement rates.

We Need Your 'Lowball' Stories

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Like New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, TMA is aggressively investigating how health plans determine "usual, customary, and reasonable" out-of-network payments. These payments are widely inconsistent across health plans for the same service. We want to help the Texas Department of Insurance, the Texas Legislature, and others decide how best to correct this problem.

Count on TMA When Times are Tough

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

No one knows more about your practice and professional needs than your association. Since 1853, TMA has been the trusted source for Texas physicians, offering practical solutions to take care of the business side of your practice.

Silver Alert Helps Find Your Patients

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are any of your elderly patients likely to wander or disappear because of an impaired mental condition? The Texas Silver Alert program can activate a public safety network to search for a missing senior citizen. Some advanced planning by you and the patient's caregivers can save valuable hours before the search can begin.

AMA Offers PQRI Help, Too

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The American Medical Association has participation tools on its Web site to help physicians who want to take part in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

State Starts New Loan Repayment Program

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

State Medicaid officials say a new loan repayment program will help Texas increase the number of physicians, dentists, and specialists who provide care for children with Medicaid coverage. TMA, along with the Texas Pediatric Society and the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, helped design the program.

Can You Top This?

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When the TMA president asks for action, these three physicians ask, "How much and how soon?" Congratulations to Austin-area gastroenterologist Alice Friedman, MD; Abilene family medicine specialist D. Allen Schultz, MD; and Dallas hand surgeon H. Jay Boulas, MD.

A Bundle of Joy From CMS

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians who perform certain cardiac or orthopedic procedures on Medicare fee-for-service patients in the Baptist Health System in San Antonio will have their payments for those services bundled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of its Acute Care Episode Demonstration project.

TMB Takes a Holliday

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gov. Rick Perry appointed Scott Holliday, DO, to the Texas Medical Board for a term to expire April 13, 2013. Dr. Holliday replaces Roberta Kalafut, DO, of Abilene.

New on TMA Communities: 2009 PQRI

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Need news, resources, and other details about the federal government's Physician Quality Reporting Initiative? Then log on to TMA Online Communities.

Fluoride Varnish Training Available

(Pat) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians wanting to participate in the Texas Medicaid program's new fluoride varnish program can receive the required training in person in Austin on Jan. 31 or via a Webinar on Feb. 17.

TEXPAC Membership, Election Success Grows

(Shari) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In December, the Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC) enjoyed its third best membership recruitment month ever, dating all the way back to the Kennedy administration. Congratulations and thank you to all who invested.

TMA Posts New Workers' Comp Fees

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has posted an updated workers' compensation medical fee guideline calculator on its Web site so that physicians can look up the appropriate fee guideline by geographic area.

Greetings from UnitedHealthcare

(Larry) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Don't ignore that letter from UnitedHealthcare that showed up in your mailbox over the holidays. It tells you how you rank in United's Premium Designation program, which rates physicians' quality and cost efficiency.

CMS Posts E-Prescribing Specs

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the specifications for the e-prescribing measure, which will be used to determine whether an eligible physician is a successful e-prescriber and may qualify for a 2-percent incentive payment for the 2009 reporting period, has been posted to the CMS Web site.

Be a First Tuesdays Lobbyist!

(Shari) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians at the Capitol, in person, played a key role in organized medicine's victories during the past three sessions of the Texas Legislature. The 2009 session offers a chance to do it again. TMA urges physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance members to make their presence felt in Austin this year by participating in First Tuesdays at the Capitol.

More Healthy Benefits From Tort Reform

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Two reports released in December continue to document the positive effects of TMA's 2003 medical liability reforms. They're working.

Tell Us How Plans 'Lowball' You

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians, patients, and regulators around the country are increasingly outraged over how health insurance companies set "usual, customary, and reasonable" (UCR) charges or maximum allowables to determine payments for out-of-network services. We need information about problems with UCR charges and maximum allowables from as many practicing physicians as possible.

CMS Surveys Medicare Contractors

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may soon ask you what you think of the job that TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, the Texas Medicare carrier, is doing.

Ike Relief Fund Deadline Extended(1)

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

March 16 is the new deadline for physicians to apply for financial help to rebuild their practices damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

Renew Today!

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We know just how difficult it is to practice medicine in today's health care environment. TMA and your county medical society offer sound, political strategies that focus on patient care, plus top-notch, trusted services to keep your practice strong and viable.

TMA Offers Coding Tools

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians go to medical school so they can learn how to take care of sick and injured people. But medical coding – putting the right codes in the right boxes in an insurance billing claim – is the financial engine that drives a medical practice. Correct coding increases the likelihood that the practice is paid correctly for the care the physician provides. Incorrect coding can get the practice into trouble.

Medco Changes Drug Policy

(Shari) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Medco is notifying Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool patients that as of Jan. 1, certain specialty medications previously obtained directly from a specialty pharmacy, a home infusion company, or their doctor's office will be covered only if they order them through Accredo, Medco's specialty pharmacy.

MMWR Warns of Oseltamivir-Resistant Flu

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Preliminary Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that 45 of the 46 influenza A (H1N1) viruses tested recently were resistant to oseltamivir; all H1N1 viruses were sensitive to zanamivir, according to the Dec. 12 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

United to Help Boost E-Prescribing

(Pat) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare is expanding its support of e-prescribing from small pilots in three states to include Texas and several other states. The Texas phase will begin in the Austin, San Antonio, and Waco markets.

It's Decision Time on Medicare Participation

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You have until Dec. 31 to decide if you want to change your Medicare participation status from participating to nonparticipating or vice versa for 2009.

Dr. Zeitler to Head TMB

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Irvin E. Zeitler Jr., DO, of San Angelo, is the new president of the Texas Medical Board (TMB). Gov. Rick Perry appointed him for a term to expire at the governor's pleasure.

Save These Dates for 2009 TMA Conferences

(Shari) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Join physician colleagues from across the state for TMA's three annual, opportunity-packed conferences that will equip you to be more successful in your medical practice, advance the profession of medicine, and better serve your patients.

TMA's Prescription for a Healthy Texas

(Steve) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As you can read in the January issue of Texas Medicine, the Texas Medical Association plans to pursue an ambitious agenda when the legislature convenes next month. A tight budget, narrow partisan margins in the Texas House and Senate, and an anticipated all-out assault on scope of practice promise to make the 2009 legislative session particularly challenging for organized medicine.

Your 2009 Goal: Stronger Practice Operations

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Take a look back over the last 12 months. Was staff turnover high? Did your overhead increase? Was cash flow down? Whatever your situation, resolve now to make 2009 better.

United Changes SPECT MPI Policy

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare has implemented a new medical policy for single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI).

Aetna Teaches Cross-Cultural Communication

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Aetna is offering free online cross-cultural communication training for physicians, nurses, and health care professionals who care for Aetna members.

Help Us Help You: Renew Today!

(Shari) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We know just how difficult it is to practice medicine in today's health care environment. TMA and your county medical society offer sound, political strategies that focus on patient care, plus top-notch trusted services to keep your practice strong and viable.

TMA Offers Tools to Navigate the Coding Maze

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Advertise for as Little as $25

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Web site experiences nearly 320,000 visitor sessions each month. With this kind of activity, can you afford not to advertise in TMA's online classifieds?

AMA Hosts PQRI Webinar

(Pat) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The American Medical Association will host a webinar on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) from noon to 1:30 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Receive Your PQRI Incentive Using DocSite

(Andrea) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You are still eligible to earn the 1.5-percent incentive on your Medicare billing for 2008 by submitting Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) measures through a patient registry.

TMA Weekly Headlines

(Pat) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With new procedures, new technologies, and new regulations, physicians' practices are constantly evolving. To that end, TMA has partnered with MultiBriefs to create TMA Weekly Headlines, an opt-out e-mail resource providing comprehensive news briefings of the week's top stories in the field.

Survey Reveals Physician Frustration

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Results of a nationwide Physicians' Foundation survey show primary care physicians are frustrated and concerned about the state of medicine today, so much so that many of the 12,000 physicians surveyed say they would not recommend a career in medicine to their children.

Blue Cross Billing Dispute Help Available

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As part of the settlement in physicians' national class action lawsuit against numerous Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, physicians may submit billing disputes to a new external review board.

Ike Relief Fund Deadline Extended

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

March 16 is the new deadline for physicians to apply for financial help to rebuild their practice damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

TMA's Hard Hats Program Wins PR Award

(Shari) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Hard Hats for Little Heads program won the Fan Favorite/Best Campaign Award from the Austin Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

TMF Projects Promote Drug Safety

(Shari) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The TMF Health Quality Institute has started two quality improvement projects that target potentially inappropriate medications and drug-to-drug interactions. It says these projects should reduce adverse drug events that lead to emergency department and inpatient hospitalizations of Medicare patients in Texas.

Adolescent Immunization Toolkit Available

(Shari) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new Be Wise — Immunize Physician Toolkit for Adolescents is now available from TMA.

Houston Symposium Targets Smoking

(Shari) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The state of smoking in Texas and future policy priorities will be discussed at the Texas Wellness & Smoking Policy Symposium Dec. 1 in Houston. Other topics include helping smokers quit and a preview of the 2009 legislative session.

CMS Puts RACs on the Shelf

(Shari) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says it has delayed the National Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) program while the Government Accountability Office reviews protests about the RAC selection process filed by two vendors that lost the competition.

TMA to CMS: Reform the GPCIs

(Shari) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Council on Socioeconomics has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to adopt more fair and rational methods for setting the Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) modifiers to the Medicare physician payment system.

Register for DocSite's PQRI Webinars

(Andrea) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA recognizes that the federal government's Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) is not going away and will only become more prevalent with health care payment plans. There is a window of opportunity that allows physicians to earn bonus payments, and physicians need to learn about them while that window is open.

CMS Schedules PQRI Call

(Shari) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will conduct a conference call on the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) from 12:30 to 2:30 pm on Nov. 20. Following a short presentation, the lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS PQRI experts.

TEXPAC Scores More Victories

(Pat) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ninety-three percent of the statewide candidates TEXPAC endorsed in the Nov. 3 election won their races, proving once again that physicians and alliance members make a difference when they get involved.

TMF Looking for Partnering Practices

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMF Health Quality Institute, the Medicare quality improvement organization for Texas, is seeking practices treating patients with diabetes to join a chronic kidney disease prevention initiative.

AG Supports Outpatient Mental Illness Coverage

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

State law requires group health benefit plans to cover, based on medical necessity, at least 60 visits per year for outpatient treatment of serious mental illness, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott ruled in an opinion issued in late October.

Setting Up a Solo Practice? Don't Go It Alone

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Are you thinking of opening a solo practice, but don't know where to begin? From securing a loan to hiring staff to choosing software and equipment, a myriad of tasks and important decisions awaits you.

TDI Sets Workers' Comp Sessions

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers' Compensation (TDI-DWC) will host a series of free educational sessions throughout the state in November and December for physicians and other health care professionals, employers, human resource managers, claim adjusters, case managers, and employee organizations.

Cancer Institute Seeks Director

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Cancer Prevention and Research Institute is looking for an executive director.

TMB Selects Interim Leadership

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Board (TMB) named Austin pathologist Alan T. Moore, MD, as interim medical director, and Mari Robinson, JD, as interim executive director in October.

United Begins Premium Designation Course

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare is offering an online continuing education course to help physicians understand the methodology it uses in its Premium physician designation program.

Medicare Payments Up 1.1 Percent Next Year

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The hard work in Congress by TMA and the rest of organized medicine last summer paid off last month when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule raising 2009 physician payments by 1.1 percent. The increase takes effect Jan. 1.

Apply Now for TMA's Ike Relief Fund

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Physicians Benevolent Fund of the Texas Medical Association is now accepting applications for the Hurricane Ike Disaster Relief Fund.

TMA Convinces United to Cover Synagis Earlier

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare responded to a request from TMA and the Texas Pediatric Society and changed its policy for covering administration of Synagis to patients at increased risk for complications of respiratory syncytial virus. United began covering up to five doses, spaced one month apart, in mid-October.

FDA Fluoroquinolone Alert Coming via HCNN

(Shari) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to issue a fluoroquinolone alert to physicians on Monday, Oct. 20.

Obama Driving Doctors' Opinions

(Shari) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's unscientific poll has produced some interesting results so far: With 615 TMA and TMA Alliance members responding, Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin lead Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden by a 52-41 margin.

CMS Cracks Down on Medicare Abuse

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says it is taking "aggressive new steps to find and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare."

CME Helps You Help Patients Kick the Habit

(Shari) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Help your patients quit smoking by taking either of two continuing medical education (CME) courses offered by TMA.

TEXPAC Endorses Champions for Medicine

(Shari) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC), TMA's political advocacy arm, has endorsed legislative and judicial candidates that its chair says will be "champions for patients and their physicians."

POEP Reminds Physicians of Cancer Resources

(Shari) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Texas has "valuable programs" for uninsured low-income women with breast or cervical cancer, according to A. Marilyn Leitch, MD, chair of TMA's Physician Oncology Education Program (POEP).

It's Time to Learn About Improving Quality

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians are ripe for education on the benefits of current quality-of-care programs, including the use of patient satisfaction surveys to assess performance and quality.

UTMB Students Need Help, Too

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) has started the long process of recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Ike. UTMB sustained hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to its facilities and equipment.

TMA Helps Physicians Recover From Ike

(Pat) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With as many as 1,000 Gulf Coast area physicians needing help to pay for uncovered losses caused by Hurricane Ike, the Texas Medical Association and the TMA Foundation are trying to raise $1 million to help them get back on their feet.

CMS Announces PQRI Look-up Tool

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says a new self-service look-up tool is now available on the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) Portal that allows physicians to see if their 2007 PQRI Feedback Report is available.

E-Prescribing Improves Patient Safety

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Each year in the United States, medication errors cause approximately 7,000 deaths, according to the electronic prescribing network SureScripts-RxHub. The reasons for such errors include illegible prescriptions, incorrect doses, and drug-drug or drug-allergy reactions.

CMS Revises RAC Rollout Timeline

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has a new time line for the nationwide rollout of the Permanent Recovery Audit Contractor Program (RAC), the American Hospital Association reports.

Medicare Delays CAP

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has postponed the 2009 Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program for physicians until further notice.

AMA Webinar Targets Performance Improvement

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An American Medical Association webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 8, will outline the increasing importance of continuing medical education (CME) in performance improvement (PI) for all physicians and will help doctors understand how and why to advocate for PI CME within their hospitals and organizations.

Earn CME Credit While Improving Patient Care

(Shari) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA e-resources allow you to earn continuing medical education (CME) credit for improving patient care.

Flu Season is Coming!

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It's not too early to start vaccinating as soon as you receive vaccine. Encourage your patients to get a flu shot, as it is still their best defense against the influenza virus.

Myriad Marketing Genetic Testing

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Myriad Genetics Inc. has begun a direct-to-consumer marketing campaign in Texas for its BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene tests. Similar marketing in other states substantially increased demand for this type of genetic testing

Help Rebuild the Governor's Mansion

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians can help the state restore the 152-year-old Texas Governor's Mansion, heavily damaged by a fire started by an arsonist in June.

Comptroller Clarifies Office Sales Policy

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians who sell health care products in their offices need to be aware of policy clarification from the Texas comptroller.

How TMF Does Reviews

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Do you understand the Texas Medical Foundation (TMF) review process? If not, visit the TMF Web site for an explanation.

TMA Dues Statements Coming

(Pat) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA and many county medical societies will begin mailing 2009 membership renewal statements this month.

Chemical Dependency Counselors Back Down

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has persuaded the state's Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Program not to allow counselors to diagnose substance disorders. State law allows only properly trained physicians to make such diagnoses, TMA believes.

HHSC Posts Ike Information List

(Shari) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) says it expects legislation to be filed in Congress to provide relief for uninsured Hurricane Ike evacuees who seek medical care.

Blue Cross Compliance Process Announced

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians can file a compliance dispute form if they believe Blue Cross and Blue Shield is not complying with the terms of its settlement of organized medicine's lawsuit against it and other for-profit HMOs. Any physician who did not opt out of the settlement can file a complaint.

Stop Embezzlement Before It Starts

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Embezzlers can be the nicest people. When you work closely with a person every day, it's hard to imagine that person stealing from you. But embezzlement occurs in medical practices more often than you might think.

Wanted: Your Online Classified Ad

(Shari) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Web site experiences nearly 320,000 visitor sessions each month. With this kind of activity, can you afford not to advertise in TMA's classified section?

CME Transcripts Made Easy

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever needed a continuing medical education (CME) transcript at 3 am on Christmas morning? If you ever do, just go to the TMA Web site.

Did the Mental Health Services Redesign Work?

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Legislature last year appropriated $82 million for public mental health authorities to restructure local crisis service delivery systems. Texas A&M University researchers want to hear from TMA members – particularly emergency room physicians and psychiatrists – if they think the investment improved mental health crisis services.

TDI Amends Ambulatory Surgical Center Fees

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Workers' Compensation Division has published amended ambulatory surgical center fee guidelines in the Texas Register.

Medicare Providers OK With New MACs

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says the annual satisfaction survey of physicians and other health care professionals in the Medicare system shows they are satisfied with services provided by Medicare fee-for-service contractors.

United Schedules Training on Rating Program

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare will conduct three online/teleconference training programs this month to educate physicians and practice administrators about its Premium physician designation program that will expand into the Beaumont, Corpus Christi, El Paso, East Texas, Waco, and Victoria areas in December.

TMA Sues Family Therapists Board

(Steve) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Marriage and family therapists are not physicians and thus cannot practice medicine in Texas, TMA says in a lawsuit against the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists.

CMS Clarifies Medicaid Prescription Rule

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) previously said prescriptions printed from electronic medical records or e-prescribing applications would need special copy-resistant paper to comply with the tamper-resistant prescription pad regulation that takes effect Oct. 1. CMS now says such prescriptions may be printed on plain paper.

TMLT Reduces Rates Again

(Shari) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) Board of Governors has approved an average 4.7-percent cut in liability insurance rates for its policyholders and a 22.5-percent dividend for physicians renewing their policies, effective Jan. 1.

Use DocSite to Earn PQRI Medicare Bonus

(Andrea) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New reporting options make it easy for physicians to participate in Medicare's 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, and TMA-endorsed vendor DocSite offers TMA members a simple, free way to satisfy the requirements and qualify for incentive payments.

CMS Posts PQRI Feedback Reports

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) feedback reports for 2007 are available on a secure Web site from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

New Restrictions Placed on Rabies Vaccine

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Vaccine inventories and processes for obtaining rabies vaccine are changing rapidly, forcing new restrictions on the vaccine's availability, the Texas Department of State Health Services says in a new advisory.

Vaccine Conference in November

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Vaccine financing and reimbursement, immunization registries, and parents' concerns about vaccine safety are on the agenda for the Texas Immunization Summit 2008 Nov. 14-15 at the Holiday Inn Town Lake in Austin.

Bikers Urged to Sponsor Helmet Giveaways

(Shari) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Are you a cyclist? If so, TMA invites you to share your passion for the sport with children in your community by sponsoring a bicycle helmet giveaway.

CMS Examines Payment Localities

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

They're not planning to change any of the Medicare payment localities "at this time," but Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials are studying their options anyway.

United Delays Accreditation Requirement

(Shari) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare has delayed its plans to require physicians and outpatient imaging sites that bill on a 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form or its electronic equivalent to apply to be accredited before being reimbursed for CT, MRI, PET, nuclear medicine/cardiology, and echocardiography procedures.

TMA Gets You FDA Alerts Immediately

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has arranged for physicians to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerts as soon as they are issued.

Obama or McCain?

(Pat) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Which presidential candidate are you supporting? How did you make your decision? What issues are most important to you? Please let us know by completing the brief TMA 2008 Presidential Poll.

TMA, TMLT Battle Wyeth in U.S. Supreme Court

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The quality of patient care could be compromised and physicians would risk more liability lawsuits if the U.S. Supreme Court sides with the drug manufacturer Wyeth in a Vermont case. That is the conclusion reached in a brief filed with the court by TMA, the Texas Medical Liability Trust, and the North Carolina Medical Society.

TMLT, JUA Offer Risk Management Services

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) has contracted with the Texas Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Association (JUA) to offer JUA policyholders risk management services, many of them for free.

Get Cigarettes Out of the Movies

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has added Screen Out!, a new public health outreach program, to its repertoire. The goal is to remove tobacco imagery and products from youth-oriented movies rated G, PG, and PG-13.

Medicare Bill Includes E-Prescribing Incentives

(Andrea) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Medicare bill that Congress passed last month to reverse the planned 10.6-percent cut in physician fees also establishes the first-ever incentive plan to encourage physicians to adopt electronic prescribing technology.

United Refines Claims Letters

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Tired of those UnitedHealthcare claim letters that are hard to understand? There's good news.

CMS Won't Accept Signature Stamps

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says it will not accept medical records containing a physician's stamped signature. CMS auditors will reject any document signed with a physician's signature stamp.

Myriad to Start Genetic Testing Ad Campaign

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Myriad Genetics Inc. will launch a direct-to-consumer marketing campaign in Texas for its BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene tests in September.

TDI Schedules Workers' Comp E-Billing Meeting

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Electronic billing for workers' compensation claims will be the subject of a Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers' Compensation (TDI-DWC) stakeholder meeting from 1 to 4 pm on Monday, Aug. 25.

Feds Change VFC Storage Rules

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Starting Jan. 1, federal guidelines will require certified calibrated thermometers in all refrigerators and freezers used to store vaccines in the Texas Vaccines for Children (VFC) program.

Medicare Expands No-Pay List

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Medicare officials have added hospital-acquired conditions to the list of conditions for which the program will not pay higher hospital payments to treat.

TDI Fines Blue Cross Over Non-Network Claims

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

State insurance regulators fined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas $250,000 and ordered the insurance giant to repay $3.9 million to members for underpaying claims related to treatment in out-of-network hospitals and other medical facilities.

DPS to Collect More Drug Info

(Shari) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On Sept. 1, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will begin collecting more information from prescriptions for Schedule II-V controlled substances.

Alert! Electronic Death Registration Required

(Shari) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Starting Aug. 31, physicians must submit all cause-of-death information and medical certifications to the Texas Department of State Health Services electronically through the state's new online death registration system, the Texas Electronic Registrar.

HealthExecLynx Offers Health Care Links

(Shari) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has added HealthExecLynx to its Health Information links page. This Web site is the result of efforts to help health executives and professionals find relevant information quickly and easily.

PHR Committee Plans Seminar on Transitions

(Pat) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Transitions in the Medical Practice: Frustrations and Opportunities" will be held Oct. 3-4 at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott.

TDI Issues Hurricane Dolly Notice

(Shari) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has ordered HMOs and other insurers to waive penalties and restrictions on patients when they obtain necessary emergency and nonemergency services as a result of Hurricane Dolly.

TrailBlazer Develops NPI Training Tool

(Shari) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Problems using the national provider identifier (NPI) on claims continue, so TrailBlazer Health Enterprises has developed a training tool that gives you detailed instructions on the accurate submission of NPI claims data and the correction of NPI data with the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System.

Heads Up: Genetic Testing Ad Campaign Coming

(Shari) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Myriad Genetics Inc. will launch a direct-to-consumer marketing campaign in Texas for its BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene tests in September. Similar marketing in other states increased demand for this type of genetic testing.

TMA Urges 20/220 Pathway Restoration

(Shari) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association joined the American Medical Association and other medical societies across the country in asking the U.S. Department of Education to reinstate the 20/220 pathway loan repayment program.

TrailBlazer Using New Medicare Fee Schedule

(Shari) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, the Texas Medicare carrier, is now paying physicians the new fee schedule approved by Congress last week.

Watch Out for Bad Retirement Plans

(Pat) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some of the attorneys who have represented TMA and physicians in Texas against health care payment plans are investigating claims for doctors who have been sold faulty retirement plans.

Assessing Your Billing and Collections

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Do you know if your staff effectively works your accounts receivable? Establishing goals for accounts receivable follow-up will enable you and your practice manager to better measure staff performance and analyze staffing needs.

DSHS Changes Rabies Vaccine Ordering Rules

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will order human rabies vaccine for physicians instead of requiring physicians to place all orders directly with the vaccine manufacturer, as previously announced.

Medical Board Speeds Up License Processing

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Medical Board officials say they have cleared up the backlog of physicians applying for a license to practice medicine in Texas.

You Can Be a Country Doctor

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Are you looking for a practice opportunity in rural Texas? The Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals and the Office of Rural and Community Affairs will conduct HealthFind on Aug. 23 at the Hotel-Intercontinental in Addison.

TDI Ombudsman Helps With Insurers

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says its provider ombudsman can help solve physicians' problems with insurance companies.

United Requires Imaging Accreditation

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare now requires outpatient imaging sites and physicians that bill on a 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form or its electronic equivalent to have completed and submitted an application to be accredited as a condition for reimbursement for certain procedures.

It's McCain vs. Obama at TMA's Fall Conference

(Shari) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Protecting the 2003 tort reforms, the presidential campaign's impact on the future of health care, and leadership and legislative testimony training are on the agenda for the 2008 TMA Fall Conference on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Austin.

Congress Rejects Bush Veto, Cuts Stopped

(Pat) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Congress overwhelmingly overrode President Bush's veto of legislation stopping the 10.6-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians on Tuesday. The House of Representatives voted 383-41 to override the veto, while the Senate voted 70-26.

Senate Listens, Passes Medicare Bill, Stops Fee Cuts

(Steve) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Intense lobbying by the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee, and their member physicians paid off this afternoon as Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison joined 67 of their Senate colleagues in reversing the 10.6-percent cut in Medicare physician payments by a vote of 69-30.

CMS to Hold Medicare Claims

(Andrea) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials have instructed Medicare contractors not to process any physician Medicare claims for the first 10 business days of July because because the bill to block the cut in payments has not been signed into law.

Senate Betrays Medicare Patients, Physicians

(Steve) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A 10.6-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians took effect July 1 because Congress failed to stop the reductions. The effort to block the cuts foundered because a bill that would have done that – and that the U.S. House of Representatives passed overwhelmingly – failed in the Senate by just one vote on June 26.

Honor the Science Teachers

(Shari) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nominations are being accepted for the 2008-09 Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching. The TMA program was started in 1990 as a way for organized medicine to instill greater recognition for the value of science and of innovative teaching to inspire students to consider medicine and other science-related fields of study.

Rabies Vaccine in Short Supply

(Shari) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A reduced supply of human rabies vaccine nationwide has dictated a change in the way physicians obtain the vaccine for patients who likely have been exposed to rabies.

Medicare Prescription Rules to Change

(Andrea) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Upcoming changes to Medicare regulations may impact the way you prescribe for patients covered by the Medicare Part D program. Will you be in compliance?

Promote Vaccinations During Immunization Month

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Be Wise — Immunize program helps you protect children in your community from vaccine-preventable illnesses, such as whooping cough. During August, National Immunization Month, Be Wise is encouraging physicians and medical students to help educate parents about the importance of properly vaccinating their children.

Don't Let Insurance Companies Lowball You

(Pat) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians, patients, and regulators around the country are increasingly up in arms over how health insurance companies set "usual, customary, and reasonable" charges to determine payments for out-of-network services.

CMS Proposes RHC/FQHC Rules

(Shari) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published proposed new rules affecting rural health clinics (RHCs) and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).

TMB Schedules New Town Hall Meetings

(Pat) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Board says its town hall meetings across the state have been so successful it has decided to schedule eight more.

Electronic Death Registration Required Soon

(Shari) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

CMS Names DMEPOS Metroplex Ombudsman

(Shari) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) selected Elena Armstrong to be the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program ombudsman for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area.

Texans Capture AMA Positions

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Former TMA President Jim Rohack, MD, who has been a leader in organized medicine since he was a medical student in Galveston, was unanimously chosen president-elect of the American Medical Association at its meeting in Chicago.

Congress Still Working on Medicare Fees

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

July 1 is only two weeks away, and Congress has not taken final action to stop the cuts in Medicare fees paid to physicians that are scheduled to take effect then.

PFHSE Physician Survey on TMA Web Site

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Physicians' Foundation for Health Systems Excellence (PFHSE) national survey of physicians can now be accessed through the TMA Web site.

Lawsuits Challenge New DMEPOS Rules

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Legal challenges may delay Medicare's efforts to start a competitive bidding for certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS).

Spending Hours on Research, Not Patient Care?

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ask a TMA librarian for help! As a TMA member, you don't need to spend countless hours researching a patient's diagnosis. Let the TMA Knowledge Center do it for you for free or very little cost.

TMA Recommends HealthExecLynx

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has added HealthExecLynx to its Health Information links page. This Web site is the result of efforts to help health executives and professionals find relevant information quickly and easily. Currently, there are more than 1,100 links to health sites, making it one of the largest health executive gateways on the Web.

Is HIT a Hit With Physicians?

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Do you use health information technology (HIT) in your practice? What about other Texas physicians? You can find out by reading a special TMA survey on the subject.

Aetna Promises to Be Good

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Aetna marked the June 2 expiration of its settlement of the federal antiracketeering lawsuit by establishing Guiding Principles for Physician Relations, which it says defines its "continued commitment to building the best possible relationships with the medical community and to working collaboratively to improve the quality of health care."

TMA, H-E-B OK NPI Deal

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association and a Texas pharmacy chain have teamed up to fend off headaches for you and for your patients who need their Medicare and Medicaid prescriptions filled.

Listen and Learn

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Risk Management Audio Seminars give you and your staff important information on issues that could pose a liability risk for your practice.

Reminder! PFHSE Conducting Survey

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Physicians' Foundation for Health Systems Excellence (PFHSE) is conducting a national survey designed to give physicians a voice.

CMS Offers PQRI Tool

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted on its Web site a new educational resource to help physicians comply with the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

TMB Is Listening

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Board (TMB) is holding town hall meetings across the state in June and July to hear what physicians and the public think about the way the board regulates the medical profession. The board also is conducting seminars in conjunction with the meetings to help entities that recruit or credential physicians streamline the application process and minimize application errors.

Appeals Court Puts Foot Down Again

(Shari) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Third Court of Appeals has left the podiatrists without a leg to stand on in their ongoing battle to expand their scope of practice.

Help Protect Tort Reform

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We held them off last year, but trial lawyers and other evildoers are lining up again to attack TMA's hard-won 2003 tort reforms in the next session of the Texas Legislature. They claim the reforms aren't necessary, don't work, and are bad for Texas. We need more ammunition to fire back at our critics. We need your stories.

Capital BCBS Settlement Deadlines Near

(Shari) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You have until June 30 to file a claim for reimbursement in the settlement of the federal antiracketeering lawsuit against Blue Cross and its subsidiaries, Capital Advantage Insurance Companies and Keystone Health Plan. Mail the claim form to the settlement administrator at Capital BlueCross, Settlement Administrator, PO Box 4390, Portland, OR 97208-4390.

Blue Cross Ratings 'Deceptive and Invalid'

(Shari) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas' BlueChoice Solutions physician-rating system does not use an accurate or independently validated method to determine a physician's risk-adjusted cost. That, combined with other problems with the program, "renders the method deceptive and invalid for credentialing and related performance assessment purposes at both individual and group physician performance levels as well," a Texas Medical Association ad hoc committee concluded.

Speak Up for Medicare Reform

(Shari) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With a 10.6-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians looming on July 1, physicians need to let Congress know that passage of the Save Medicare Act of 2008 (S 2785) is critical for physicians and their patients. Call the American Medical Association Grassroots Hotline at (800) 833-6354 to be connected to your representatives in Congress and urge them to cosponsor and pass S 2785.

Alert! NPI Required on May 23

(Shari) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Starting May 23, all claims for reimbursement must carry your national provider identifier (NPI), or the claims will be rejected. This includes claims for Medicare, Medicaid, or any commercial health insurance plan.

TDI Fines Silent PPO

(Shari) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

State insurance regulators have taken action against a silent PPO, fining Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Co. $8,000 for inappropriate physician discounts on claims.

New Leaders Take Over

(Shari) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Josie R. Williams, MD, was sworn in as TMA's 143rd president during TexMed 2008; William H. Fleming III, MD, was selected as president-elect.

Delegates Tackle Tough Issues

(Shari) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The TMA House of Delegates efficiently dispatched an immense agenda at TexMed 2008 in San Antonio.

Top-Selling Medical Reference Free Online

(Shari) — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The best-selling medical title in the world now is available free to TMA members in a completely revised and updated 17th edition.

Partner With the John P. McGovern Foundation!

(Shari) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The John P. McGovern Foundation in Houston, a longtime supporter of the TMA Foundation's work, has pledged to match the first $10,000 in contributions to the 2008 Star/Superstar campaign.

EMTALA Study Group Releases Report

(Shari) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Technical Advisory Group has made its final report to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt. HHS established the group to examine EMTALA's impact on medical care.

DSHS Issues Heparin Warning

(Shari) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Department of State Health Services officials say vials of recalled heparin were found during a routine health facility inspection in Texas, even though several manufacturers and distributors of heparin products recalled them. The recalls were made because of adverse events associated with the heparin or as a precaution after testing revealed contaminated lots of heparin.

TMA Defends Physicians' Scope of Practice

(Shari) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA attorneys have told two state regulatory boards that the people they regulate should go to medical school if they want to practice medicine. At issue is an attempt by chemical dependency counselors and marriage and family counselors to expand their scope of practice and thus infringe on the legal requirement that physicians make a diagnosis.

Comptroller Extends Franchise Tax Deadline

(Pat) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians and other businesses have more time to file their state franchise tax returns or seek a filing extension without having to pay a penalty.

Medicaid Hires Medical Director

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Jose L. Gonzalez, MD, vice chair for pediatric medical education at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, will become medical director of the Texas Medicaid program on June 1.

Texas Physicians Can Share in New BCBS Deal

(Shari) — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Pennsylvania-based Capital BlueCross and its subsidiaries, Capital Advantage Insurance Companies and Keystone Health Plan, have agreed to a tentative settlement in the federal class action antiracketeering lawsuit by organized medicine.

TMA Web Site Wins Medal

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA's Web site was the only professional society Web site to take home a medal in the latest national Internet competition. We won a bronze award in the World Wide Web Health Awards, which recognizes the best Web-based health-related content for consumers and professionals.

Personal Health Records: What You Need to Know

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The prospect of electronic personal health records has left some physicians with the disconcerting vision of patients handing over a disk filled with decades of lab results and recollections of random sprains and strains that they'll have to comb through or risk being sued for missing a small piece of vital information.

Community Coalition Helps Immunization Efforts

(Shari) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"A coalition of community partners can be successful in developing an immunization outreach program by sharing experience and resources." So says an abstract, "Coalition Partnerships & Collaborations, Organizing and Developing an Immunization Outreach Coalition," to be presented at the 8th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions in San Francisco next month.

CMS Revises Medicare Enrollment Application

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revised CMS-855 Medicare enrollment applications in March.

TDI Memo Addresses Workers' Comp Denials

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers' Compensation says it has received complaints that some insurance carriers and billing review companies are improperly denying payment for medical services because of lack of documentation.

TMB Executive Director to Retire

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Medical Board Executive Director Donald Patrick, MD, JD, will retire Aug. 28. He has headed the board since September 2001.

Texas Reps, OIG Expose AHA Lies

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA President William W. Hinchey, MD, has thanked U.S. Reps. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) and Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas) for the letter they sent to their colleagues that rebuked the American Hospital Association and its allies "for their misrepresentation of physician-owned hospitals."

Don't Increase Medicare Advantage Plans' Fees

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA opposes a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plan to give Medicare Advantage plans a 3.6-percent fee increase at the same time it plans to cut payments to physicians.

TMA Recommends HealthExecLynx

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Plan a Helmet Giveaway in May

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Bike Month in May is a perfect time for physicians and medical students to spread awareness of helmet safety statewide. You can be part of this exciting effort by joining with TMA's bike helmet giveaway program, Hard Hats for Little Heads, to sponsor a helmet giveaway in your community.

Building a Palliative Care Program

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You can learn what you need to know about building and sustaining a palliative care program at a three-day seminar presented by the Center to Advance Palliative Care Nov. 13-15 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine.

EMR: How Your Colleagues Did It

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you need help choosing the right electronic medical record (EMR) system for your practice, TMA's Health Information Technology Department has just what you need.

NUCC Changes Claim Form

(Shari) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The National Uniform Claims Committee (NUCC) has posted interim changes to its 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form Reference Instruction Manual, version 3.0 7/07, on the NUCC Web site under the 1500 Claim Form tab.

Be Wary of the World Wide Web

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Chances are at least one of your patients has come to you asking about something he or she read on an Internet health site. And it could be that what patients are reading is misleading at best.

TMA Survey: Medicare Forcing Out Physicians

(Pat) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians will be forced to limit the number of Medicare patients they treat if the 10.5-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians occurs on July 1, a sobering TMA physician survey shows.

Judges Boot Podiatrists' Foot Definition

(Shari) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An Austin appeals court sided with TMA and the Texas Orthopaedic Association and said the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners was wrong when it adopted a rule that expanded the definition of the foot to include the bones in the ankle.

Colorectal Cancer Guidelines Published

(Pat) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Updated consensus guidelines for detecting adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer in asymptomatic average-risk adults have been developed by the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology.

The Race for the Vaccine

(Shari) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you can't make it to TexMed for the presentation on development of the polio vaccine by David Oshinsky, PhD, you can still hear what he has to say by checking out the latest TMA podcast interview with Dr. Oshinsky.

Comptroller Revises Franchise Tax Rules

(Pat) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Texas physicians' potential liability under the state's new franchise tax got a bit smaller in March thanks to revised rules developed at the urging of TMA.

TEXPAC Scores Again!

(Shari) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians' influence in the political process was felt again in the March 4 primary election as 25 of the 36 candidates endorsed by the Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee won their races.

Good Bill, Bad Bill

(Shari) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a needed bill to ensure parity for mental health coverage in insurance benefits. But it includes stark restrictions on physicians' rights to own or invest in hospitals and other facilities, based on a Congressional Budget Office assertion that such restrictions will save money.

Cornyn Files Medicare Reform Bill

(Pat) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Sen. John Cornyn has filed legislation in Congress to change the way Medicare pays physicians. The bill, the Ensuring the Future Physician Workforce Act of 2008, would stop the 10-percent cut in Medicare payments set for July 1, replace the faulty Sustainable Growth Rate formula, and base future payment adjustments on the Medicare Economic Index.

How Do You Rate With Blue Cross?

(Shari) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA physician leaders and staff have worked for the past two years to win concessions from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas to make its physician-rating program fair to doctors and useful to patients.

TMA Recommends HealthExecLynx Site

(Shari) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA has added HealthExecLynx to its Health Information links page.

TMA Knowledge Center Offers Textbooks Online

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The TMA Knowledge Center has compiled a quick guide for accessing many online textbooks that cover clinical, health business, and reimbursement topics.

How Many Doctors Do We Need?

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How many doctors do we need? The latest Podcast TMA examines how Texas and the nation are meeting the growing physician workforce demand.

Foster Care Program Looking for Physicians

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians can sign up for the state's new Foster Care Health Plan scheduled to roll out April 1. All children in Child Protective Services foster care will have their medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health care covered through the STAR Health Program for Children in Foster Care, administered by Superior Health Care Network.

Renew or Join Online

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Two physicians have been chosen as the winners in TMA's contest recognizing members who renewed or activated their membership via the TMA Web site before Dec 31.

House Approves Education Bill

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A federal loan forgiveness program for physicians who practice in underserved areas is part of a higher education reauthorization bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed in February.

Medicare Claims Require NPI

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As of March 1, Medicare fee-for-service claims must include an national provider identifier (NPI) in the primary provider fields on the claim (billing, pay-to provider, and rendering provider fields). Claims will be rejected without it.

TMB: Pay the 'Ticket' or Go to 'Court'

(Shari) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Minor violations of Texas Medical Board rules will get the "traffic ticket" treatment, allowing physicians to dispose of them in weeks, not months, under new procedures the board adopted in February.

Medicare: Hold Congress Accountable

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The clock is running out. Physicians must persuade Congress to put Texas’ Medicare Manifesto into action. Congress must fix Medicare’s flawed payment system now.

Greetings from the TMB

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What should you do if you hear from the Texas Medical Board (TMB)? The Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) can tell you.

TMLT Offers Medical Student Scholarships

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) is again offering its TMLT Memorial Scholarships to medical student scholarships in 2008. One student at each Texas medical school will receive a $5,000 scholarship.

United Changes Reimbursement Policy

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UnitedHealthcare has revised its Preventive Medicine Reimbursement Policy. It now allows separate reimbursement for preventive medicine services, and for acute care evaluation and management services on the same date of service.

DSHS Offers New Cancer Treatment Resource

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new resource for treatment of qualified low-income women with certain breast or cervical cancer diagnoses is available from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Tamper-Resistant Rx Pads Required April 1(2)

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Effective April 1, Medicaid will require all written prescriptions for outpatient drugs, including over the counter, to be on tamper-resistant prescription pads.

Don’t Lose Your Patients

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) have extended the National Provider Identifier compliance contingency period from Feb. 29 until May 23.

Texas Physicians Sue to Protect Liability Reforms

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Medical Association has gone to court to protect the historic and hard-won tort reforms the Texas Legislature passed in 2003, and to make sure patients continue to have better access to medical care.

TMA joined Corpus Christi orthopedic surgeon John McKeever, MD, the Texas Alliance for Patient Access (TAPA), and the Texas Hospital Association to resolve several constitutional challenges to the centerpiece of the reforms: the cap on noneconomic damages – such as for pain and suffering – that may be awarded in a medical liability case.

AMA’s CPT® Network Offers Free 30-Day Trial

(Larry) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

CPT Network supplies the tools to quickly research a database of commonly asked coding questions and clinical examples.

Have a Heart for Physicians

(Pat) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Open your hearts for “Have a Heart for Physicians,” a fund-raising effort by TMA’s Physician Health and Rehabilitation (PHR) Assistance Fund held during May 2008.

HIT Summit in Houston

(Larry) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians, nurses, hospital officials, business leaders, insurers, policymakers, and government officials will join health information technology (HIT) experts at the National Health Information Technology Summit April 15-16 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

2008 TMA Minority Scholarships Are Available

(Larry) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Eight in 2008! For the second consecutive year, the TMA Minority Scholarship Program is offering $5,000 scholarships to eight qualified incoming Texas medical students.

Three Reasons to Renew Today!

(Larry) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

To ensure your practice lives a long and healthy life, don’t let your membership lapse. Renew today. Only together, can we make a real difference.

Keep TMA Working for You: Renew Today!

(Shari) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TMA and many county medical societies began mailing their 2009 membership renewal statements in October. Don't wait to renew! The strength of the association's 43,000 members increases our leverage and collective ability to address the most important professional and public health issues of the day.

111th U.S. Congress — 2009

(Pat) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT