87th Texas Legislature Letters and Testimonies

2021 Texas Legislature Letters and Testimonies

TMA physician leaders are already working tirelessly on behalf of their profession and their patients to improve Texas health care system. During this legislative session, TMA councils and committees are laser-focused on promoting health care policies to ensure Texas patients have access to affordable and high quality health care. Here are TMA’s testimonies, comments, and letters to state lawmakers.

Check back frequently as testimony will be posted when it's delivered to the legislature.

Here's a look back at testimony from the 2019 legislative session.

Aging/End-of-Life Care

Safeguarding Long-Term Care Facility Residents
(Written Interim Comments on COVID-19 in LTCFs, Sept. 25, 2020)

Border Health

Corporate Practice of Medicine

Graduate Medical Education/Workforce

Texas Must Continue to Invest in GME
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 1, Article III, Sept. 30, 2020)

Health Information Technology

Health Insurance

Waive Budget Neutrality Requirements for a Year
(Interim Written Comments on HR 8505, Oct. 26, 2020)

Driving Down the Cost of Health Care in Texas
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 1, Select Committee on Statewide Health Care Costs, Oct. 1, 2020)

Drug Price Transparency, Balance Billing, and Coverage
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 1 House Committee on Insurance, Sept. 8, 2020)

Liability

Medicaid and CHIP

Moms and Babies Need Comprehensive Health Care Coverage 
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 1, House Public Health Committee, Oct. 16, 2020)

 Let's Work Together to Strengthen Rural Health
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 1, House Committee on Public Health, Oct. 16, 2020)

Renew and Strengthen Texas' Medicaid 1115 Waivers  
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 2, Article II: Review how Texas is preparing for state and federal budgetary changes that impact the state's health programs, including: the Family First Prevention Services Act; the next phase of the 1115 Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program Waiver; Texas’ Targeted Opioid Response Grant; the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed Medicaid Fiscal Accountability rule, and the Healthy Texas Women Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver. Interim - Sept. 30, 2020)

Support Early Childhood Brain Development with an Enhanced ECI Program
(Written comments on the Charge No. 5 request for information: Examine state investments in the health and brain development of babies and toddlers, including Early Childhood Intervention and other early childhood programs for children in the first three years. Evaluate opportunities to boost child outcomes and achieve longer-term savings today on the vital importance of the ECI program for some of Texas’ most at-risk and vulnerable infants and toddlers. A Child’s. Interim - Sept. 30, 2020)

Public Health

Safeguarding Long-Term Care Facility Residents 
(Written Interim Comments on COVID-19 in LTCFs, Sept. 25, 2020)

Strengthen Texas' Public Health Capabilities 
(Interim Charge I, implementation of new funding and full-time equivalent positions for the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Vital 2 Statistics Unit; and implementation of DSHS Rider 29; evaluate the capacity of immunization programs to prevent, reduce, and eliminate vaccine preventable diseases in adults and children. Interim Written comments,Sept. 30, 2020)

 Child Abuse and Neglect 

 Immunization

 Maternal Health 

Moms and Babies Need Comprehensive Health Care Coverage 
(Written Comments on Interim Charge 1, House Public Health Committee, Oct. 16, 2020)

 Mental Health

 Tobacco and Vaping 

Scope of Practice

Taxes

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