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  • iconMeet Opioid Training Mandates With CME From TMA - 8/29/2024 4:45:05 PM

    Through the Texas Medical Association, physicians can play a part in curbing rates of opioid overdose and substance use disorder – and meet state and federal agencies’ CME mandates.   How much education physicians must complete and on whic...

  • iconPhysicians Will Lead Legislature’s Controlled Substances Committee - 8/9/2024 7:48:27 PM

    When a special joint committee of the Texas Legislature tackles issues with controlled substances this year, physician-lawmakers will take the lead. House Speaker Joe Straus announced last week via Twitter that Rep. J.D. Sheffield, DO (R-Gatesville)...

  • iconMedicine to Feds: Back Off Prior Authorization Requirements - 8/9/2024 7:38:04 PM

    The Texas Medical Association, American Medical Association, and a host of other medical societies are trying to stop onerous, care-impeding prior authorization (PA) requirements from overrunning Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In a letter to Centers...

  • iconEffects of Opioids and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Chronic Low Back Pain and Related Measures: Results from the PRECISION Pain Research Registry - 7/30/2024 7:01:02 PM

      The Journal — October 2018 Tex Med. 2018;114(10):e1. By John C. Licciardone, DO, MS, MBA1 (corresponding author), Robert J. Gatchel, PhD, ABPP2, and Subhash Aryal, PhD3  1. Department of Family Medicine, University of N...

  • iconHIT Advocacy - 6/27/2024 4:29:20 PM

    What has TMA done to advocate for physicians when it comes to health information technology and the Quality Payment Program (QPP)?   TMA Comment Letter to The Sequoia Project’s Data Usability Workgroup Re: Its Implementation Guide (Oct. 1...

  • iconNew TMA Policy: Reduce Fentanyl Overdoses with Improved Naloxone Access - 6/24/2024 2:45:32 AM

    Over a 27-hour period this spring, the city of Austin saw nine people die across 79 separate overdose incidents, reflecting the severity of the statewide fentanyl crisis. Policy approved by the Texas Medical Association’s House of Delegates in May an...

  • iconDivision of Medical Economics - 6/4/2024 4:00:39 PM

    The Division of Medical Economics represents and advocates for TMA in state and federal regulatory, socioeconomic, and health policy through support and guidance to public, private, and legislative entities, and through development of association pol...

  • iconFind Other CME - 6/3/2024 8:42:33 PM

    CME from Other Organizations UT Health Houston School of Public Affairs How to Prepare for the Unexpected June 10 | 7 pm In this session, attendees will be able to identify patterns of the emergency support function 8, health and m...

  • iconThe Waco Way: How This Addiction Medicine Specialist Targets Primary Care Challenges - 5/29/2024 2:29:34 AM

    Zachary Sartor, MD, began practicing as an addiction medicine specialist after he saw an uptick in behavioral health disorders among his patients, a trend he found grew exponentially after the COVID-19 pandemic.  “We have reports that show the ...

  • iconDelegates Emphasize Women’s, Reproductive Health Ahead of Legislative Session - 5/15/2024 3:59:21 PM

    The Texas Medical Association, with its sights on the 2025 Texas legislative session, moved forward with policy in alignment with its past and future public health advocacy at TexMed, including a host of new goals for reproductive, women’s, and perin...

  • iconTable of Contents: April 2024 - 5/7/2024 3:54:37 PM

    Volume 120, Number 3 - April 2024The Leadership Issue Straight Shooter: Incoming TMA President Ray Callas, MD's 26 years of experience as a member have prepared him to lead the association at a time when Texas physicians face economic challenges and ...

  • iconWellness First Presentation - 5/1/2024 8:47:10 PM

    The Texas Medical Association offers the following timely and valuable presentations for your organization’s next meeting. All qualify as one-hour CME courses and ethics credit. Presentations are available in person or virtually Request a Presentat...

  • iconData-Driven Interventions: TMA Zeroes in on Quality Opioid Care - 4/1/2024 5:35:34 PM

    Data that reflect a patient’s true risk of substance use disorder or overdose. Technology that alerts physicians of an overdose history. Immediate and affordable access to overdose-reversing medication. Resources that support early intervention. ...

  • iconDid You Receive an Email Requiring Registration to the State’s PMP? - 2/28/2024 9:18:58 PM

    Update June 19: Initially, all Texas prescribers had until Sept. 1 to set up a PMP Aware account. However, thanks to TMA advocacy, lawmakers recently passed a bill that pushed back that deadline to March 1, 2020. House Bill 3284 – by Rep. J.D. Sheff...

  • iconYou Write Scripts? You Better Sign Up With the PMP - 2/28/2024 9:18:13 PM

    Update June 19: Initially, all Texas prescribers had until Sept. 1 to set up a PMP Aware account. However, thanks to TMA advocacy, lawmakers recently passed a bill that pushed back that deadline to March 1, 2020. House Bill 3284 – by Rep. J.D. Sheff...

  • iconTexMed 2024 CME Submissions Are Open - 1/11/2024 5:58:55 PM

    Have an educational topic in mind to be considered for TexMed 2024, taking place at the Omni Dallas, May 2-4, 2024?   The process is now open online and proposals will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2024. To submit a topic, visit the applicati...

  • iconTable of Contents: November 2023 - 1/5/2024 7:24:24 PM

    Volume 119, Number 9 - November 2023 The Medicaid Issue14 First Steps: TMA helped secure the first Medicaid physician rate increases in decades in hopes it will build momentum for future gains. By Emma Freer20 On the Mend: Twelve months of postpartum...

  • iconPhysicians’ DEA Registration Now Requires Training on Substance Use Disorder - 1/3/2024 8:36:02 PM

    Physicians who must register or renew their registration for a Drug Enforcement Administration license will face a new requirement as of June 27: To register, they will have attest to taking a one-time, eight-hour training on how to treat patien...

  • iconNo Prior Auth Required for Generic Asthma Meds Following Medicaid Formulary Change - 12/19/2023 7:13:18 PM

    As of Dec. 15, physicians can prescribe generic asthma medications previously listed as non-preferred on the Medicaid preferred drug list without needing prior authorization.     Per the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the ch...

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - November 2023 - 11/29/2023 11:08:45 PM

    Nov. 30, 2023 CMS Strengthens Price Transparency for Hospitals Medicare Premiums, Deductibles to Increase in 2024 Nov. 29, 2023 Deadline: Apply for 2023 MIPS Hardship Exemption by Jan. 2 Feds Extend Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities T...

  • iconFeds Extend Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities Through 2024 - 11/10/2023 9:45:07 PM

    With permanent telehealth prescribing policies still under consideration, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) again has extended temporary pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities to allow physicians to virtually prescribe certain controlled ...

  • iconReintegration: NarxCare and Pharmacy Management Systems Free for Physicians - 11/7/2023 11:18:52 PM

      Austin internist and Texas Medical Association Board of Trustees member Tony Aventa, MD, was shocked when the 2021 Texas Legislature rescinded state funding for integration of the Texas prescription monitoring program (PMP) into electronic he...

  • iconPrescription Pitfalls: Vendor Drug Program Restricts Physicians to Prescribing Certain Medications - 11/5/2023 5:04:54 PM

    Sugar Land internist Cynthia Peacock, MD, treats Medicaid children and young adults who often rely on a steady regimen of medications to treat chronic illnesses or disabilities. But lately, she’s been forced to alter long-standing treatment plans to...

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - October 2023 - 10/31/2023 1:42:55 AM

    Oct. 31, 2023 CDC Grant Funds Drug Overdose Data Collection in Texas TMA Has Your Mandated CME – For Free Smith County Podcast Sparks Alliance Connections Oct. 30, 2023 Feds Update HIPAA Security Risk Assessment Tool Medicare Premiums, De...

  • iconCDC Grant Funds Drug Overdose Data Collection in Texas - 10/30/2023 5:10:11 PM

    A nearly $4 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could give Texas physicians new tools to handle national opioid and mental health crises, which have made it difficult to identify patients at risk for substance use ...

  • iconHelp Promote National Drug Prescription Take Back Day on Oct. 28 - 10/19/2023 7:11:53 PM

    Help put a dent in the prescription drug misuse in Texas and around the country by reminding your patients to dispose of unused medications safely and anonymously on Oct. 28, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. As the state grapples with a sha...

  • iconPMP Integration Free to Physicians - 9/18/2023 5:49:41 PM

    As of Sept. 1, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy offers statewide integration of the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) and NarxCare into electronic health records (EHR) and pharmacy management systems for two years at no cost to physicians....

  • icon10 More Ways to Save Money in Your Practice - 8/30/2023 5:26:55 PM

    Past editions of TMA Practice E-Tips have suggested ways practices can save money and time in daily activities. Here are more tips … for TMA members only. These programs and services are free for TMA members, and can save practices thousands of ...

  • iconTMA Connects Medicine with the Media Through Outstanding Health Reporting Award - 8/25/2023 4:24:02 PM

    In yet another successful year of connecting medicine with the media, the Texas Medical Association’s Council on Health Promotion honored two Texas health care reporters with the 2023 Texas Health Journalist of the Year award in the 66th Anson Jones,...

  • iconPatient Care Protected: Scope Creep/GME Funding - 8/7/2023 2:30:26 PM

    Related content: 2023 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Secured Big Wins With a New Strategy TMA Priority: Protect independent diagnosing and prescribing as the practice of medicine; address current workforce shortages in a way that ensures patients hav...

  • iconPhysician-Led Results: Scope-of-Practice Creep/GME Funding - 8/7/2023 2:29:03 PM

    TMA priority: Protect independent diagnosing and prescribing as the practice of medicine; address current workforce shortages in a way that ensures patients have access to the same standard of care, no matter where they live.    Sessi...

  • iconPatient Care Protected: E-Cigarette Regulation and Taxation - 8/4/2023 11:49:52 PM

    Related content: 2023 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Secured Big Wins With a New Strategy TMA Priority: Increase funding for vaping prevention and cessation programs and create an excise tax to deter youth from buying e-cigarettes. Physician-Led Results:...

  • iconPatient Care Protected: Vaccines, ImmTrac2 Modernization - 8/4/2023 11:47:51 PM

    Related content: 2023 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Secured Big Wins With a New Strategy TMA Priority: Protect current vaccine laws and upgrade the state’s vaccine registry system to make it more user-friendly for practices. Physician-Led Results: Texas...

  • iconPatient Care Protected: Medicaid Coverage for Women and Children - 8/4/2023 11:43:50 PM

    Related content: 2023 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Secured Big Wins With a New Strategy TMA Priority: Pursue more comprehensive coverage of and secure additional funding and resources for maternal and behavioral health care for women and children. Phys...

  • iconOpioids: Resources for Prescribing and Addiction Treatment - 7/20/2023 10:31:52 PM

    Get access to information about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has identified MAT as one of three priority ways to solve the current opioid ove...

  • iconCOVID-19: Telemedicine - 7/20/2023 8:36:06 PM

      Go to the COVID-19 Resource Center.   FAQs and "How-to's" Telemedicine: What You Need To Know for COVID-19 and Beyond Telemedicine: Getting Started – TMA “how-to” guide   Legal Texas Laws and Regulations Relating to Tele...

  • iconTMA to Fight for Health Coverage Expansion, Scope of Practice During 2021 Legislature - 7/17/2023 9:37:25 PM

    Although the details about how the 2021 Texas Legislature will operate beginning in January are still unclear, the topics lawmakers will vigorously debate will have a familiar refrain. At the 2020 Texas Medical Association Advocacy Retreat on Saturd...

  • iconNew Laws Reshape Texas Health Care Landscape - 6/29/2023 12:19:29 AM

    August 5, 2019 The Bottom Line: Beginning Sept. 1 new state health care laws will go into effect. The 86th session of the Texas Legislature produced wins and losses for patients and physicians; but overall, doctors who fought for the legislatio...

  • iconPhysician-Led Results: E-Cigarette Regulation - 6/20/2023 10:12:37 PM

    TMA Priority: Increase funding for vaping prevention and cessation programs and create an excise tax to deter youth buying e-cigarettes.  Recap: State lawmakers gave tobacco-control advocates – including Texas physicians – a big victo...

  • iconPhysician-Led Results: Vaccine Protections - 6/20/2023 4:04:20 PM

    TMA Priority: Protect current vaccine laws and upgrade the state’s vaccine registry system to make it more user-friendly for practices.  Recap: Texas physicians started this year’s legislative session with a simple strategy on vaccine...

  • iconPhysician-Led Results: Medicaid Coverage for Women and Children - 6/13/2023 6:06:37 PM

    TMA priority: Pursue more comprehensive coverage of and secure additional funding and resources for maternal and behavioral health care for women and children.  Session recap: The culmination of multi-session efforts, the Texas Medical Association –...

  • iconWelcome MAT: Physicians Debunk Skepticism of Medication-Assisted Treatment - 6/5/2023 5:15:43 AM

    Austin addiction specialist Ann Marie Case, MD, frequently fields questions from other physicians about medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the combined use of medicines and counseling to treat people with substance use disorder.  ...

  • iconTable of Contents: April 2023 - 6/5/2023 1:26:53 AM

    Volume 119, Number 3 - April 2023The Outreach IssueCover package:Community Connections (pages 8-11)TMA’s Council on Health Promotion helps physicians improve public health from within their own communities. By Sean PriceHard Hats for Little Heads (pa...

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - May 2023 - 5/31/2023 1:38:13 PM

    May 31, 2023 Delegates Tackle Health Care Workforce Shortages New TMA Policy Recognizes People with Disabilities as Health Disparity Population Apply for a Grant to Help Promote Vaccines  May 30, 2023 Virtual Election Voting Trial A...

  • iconTMA Delegates Recognize People with Disabilities as “Health Disparity Population” - 5/25/2023 7:12:15 PM

    New Texas Medical Association policy recognizes people with disabilities as a “health disparity population” for the first time, a move designed to improve care for those who are often inadvertently overlooked or excluded in medical settings.  I...

  • iconKey Issues - 5/12/2023 9:37:03 PM

    At the heart of TMA's agenda for the 2023 Texas legislative session is protecting the practice of medicine and the patient-physician relationship. View TMA’s Top 10 Legislative Priorities Corporate Practice of MedicineEnsure Physicians and Patien...

  • iconDEA Extends Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications - 5/12/2023 7:16:54 PM

    To avoid lapses in patient care now that the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) has ended, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a temporary extension of teleme...

  • iconTMA Community Outreach Program Grants Top Media Award for Opioid Crisis Coverage - 5/10/2023 5:26:17 PM

    Addressing the opioid crisis has been a long-standing priority for the Texas Medical Association, and the topic garnered the kudos of the association’s community outreach program connecting medicine to the media.  The Anson Jones, MD, Awards re...

  • iconTelemedicine Billing, Coverage to Change with PHE End: Here’s How - 5/9/2023 3:50:17 PM

    *Editor's note: The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration issued on May 9 a temporary rule extending PHE-related telehealth flexibilities for prescribing controlled medicines throu...

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - April 2023 - 4/27/2023 10:21:06 PM

    April 28, 2023 MIPS Value Pathways Registration Now Open MIPS Hardship Exemption Offered Again in 2023 for COVID Bills Remove Physician Oversight of Health Care Team Congress Weighs Legislation Tying Medicare Physician Payments to Inflation ...