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  • iconTexas Medicine Today - March 2023 - 8/22/2025 11:49:40 PM

    March 31, 2023 TMA to Congress: Tie Medicare Physician Payment to Inflation TMA Testifies on Flurry of Insurance, Public Health Bills U.S. Main Residency Match Posts Another Year of Record-High Positions New Cigna Policy Requires Additional Doc...

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - April 2023 - 8/13/2025 6:06:47 PM

    April 28, 2023  Congress Weighs Legislation Tying Medicare Physician Payments to Inflation April 27, 2023 Congress Weighs Legislation Tying Medicare Physician Payments to Inflation CMS Proposal Could Alleviate Prior Auth Stress in Fede...

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - December 2024 - 8/8/2025 9:51:06 PM

    Dec. 20, 2024  DSHS Updates Patient Education Resource for Prenatal Practitioners TMA to Represent Texas Physicians’ Coding, Payment Concerns on National Credentialing Organization TMA Foundation Gala Co-Chairs to Lead Fundraising Effort ...

  • iconTMA Backs Network Adequacy Bill and Other Insurance Reforms - 8/8/2025 8:15:39 PM

    With just a week until the bill-filing deadline, the Texas Medical Association is backing state legislation that furthers patients’ access to care by requiring adequate networks and bolstering prior authorization reforms, among other protections....

  • iconBilling and Collections: A Process, Not a Task - 8/7/2025 6:13:04 PM

    Revenue cycle procedures begin with efficient appointment scheduling and end with payment for billed charges. By attending carefully to each step of the revenue cycle process, you can eliminate problems that may cause your practice to lose money...

  • iconAre You a “Covered Entity” Under HIPAA? - 8/4/2025 10:02:32 PM

    Physicians should assume they are covered entities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and must comply with HIPAA regulations if they - or a billing company or other third party on their behalf -  transm...

  • icon04.15.2025 FEDERAL LTR TMA's, Stakeholders’ Comment Letter to Sen. John Cornyn Seeking Extension of Marketplace Insurance Premium Tax Credits - 7/23/2025 7:37:27 PM

  • icon04.30.2025 HB5402 Proposal Requires Insurance Impact Statements Without Ensuring Their Objective Accuracy - 7/7/2025 3:48:54 PM

  • iconSources - 7/2/2025 10:34:52 PM

    Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts   Key Facts About the Uninsured Population, KFF, 2019 United States Census Bureau. Explore Census Data United States Census Bureau. American Community Survey Artiga, S et al. Health Coverage a...

  • iconVA Seeking Refunds from Physicians for Past CHAMPVA Claims - 6/26/2025 6:37:36 PM

    The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it aims to recover more than $41 million in “overpaid claims” paid to physicians and other health care professionals and entities through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department...

  • iconBoard Member Highlight: Bradford Patt, MD - 6/2/2025 8:20:56 PM

    Name: Bradford Patt, MD Specialty: Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery City: Houston County Medical Society: Harris CMS The Texas Medical Association Board of Trustees elected Bradford S. Patt, MD, to serve as vice chair in 2025-26, after the TMA Hou...

  • iconTMA Position Flyers - 5/27/2025 8:55:09 PM

    TMA keeps a watchful eye over the legislative landscape on behalf of Texas physicians during each legislative session. The association champions bills that benefit physicians and patients, and opposes those that threaten the patient-physician relatio...

  • iconInsurance Bill Undermining Patient, Physician Protections Heads to House - 5/13/2025 3:17:14 AM

    An insurance bill headed for a House vote aims to create a new kind of health insurance plan that medicine is concerned could undermine decades of advocacy and bypass key state-mandated patient and physician protections.   The latest version of Hous...

  • icon2025 FTAC Health Insurance Buckslip v2 - 5/2/2025 8:20:04 PM

  • icon04.21.2025 Insurance HB 4408 TMA Concerned About Bill’s Broad Reporting Requirements, Penalties - 4/22/2025 2:39:57 AM

  • iconTexas Medicine Today - November 2024 - 4/17/2025 8:02:35 PM

    Nov. 22, 2024 TMA Considers Next Steps in Split Victory Over Payment Calculations in Surprise-Billing Arbitrations The Physicians Foundation Seeks Health Care Leaders for New, Free Training Program Nov. 21, 2024 The Physicians Foundation Se...

  • iconTMA Calls for Increased Funding to Help TMB Address Workforce Issues - 4/9/2025 6:00:25 PM

    Citing the need for an “adequately staffed and resourced” Texas Medical Board (TMB) in bolstering the state’s physician workforce and subsequent access to care, Texas Medical Association President G. Ray Callas, MD, advocated for the Texas Legislatur...

  • iconE-Cigarette Regulation Heard in Senate, House Committees - 4/7/2025 9:14:47 PM

    Legislation to regulate e-cigarette advertising, definitions, and distribution, especially geared toward minimizing harm to minors, garnered significant committee attention over the last couple of weeks with robust testimony by the Texas Medical Asso...

  • iconInsurance Concerns Dominate TMA Testimony - 3/31/2025 5:41:13 PM

    The Texas Medical Association appealed to the Texas Legislature last week to guard patients from inadequate health insurance coverage and physicians from unfair ranking and tiering practices, while supporting increased oversight and streamlining of c...

  • iconTMA Advocacy in Agencies - 3/31/2025 4:01:16 PM

    Newcomers to Texas Visit your one stop location to get information on the licensure process, physician demographics, credentialing application, establishing your practice, state and federal agencies, resources for your practice and much mo...

  • icon03.26.2025 TMA Seeks to Ensure Insurance Ranking Tiering Bill Upholds Patient Protections - 3/28/2025 10:01:15 PM

  • iconPanel Makes Big Change in Draft Federal Surprise Billing Law - 3/18/2025 6:08:56 PM

      Thanks to incessant lobbying from physicians, hospitals, organized medicine, and the Physicians Advocacy Institute, a key congressional committee today made significant revisions in a bill to reduce the strain of surprise billing on patients....

  • iconPractice E-Tips on Commercial Insurance - 3/17/2025 8:11:40 PM

    Can I Pay My Patient’s ACA Premium to Ensure Coverage? Guide to Preventive Services Covered Under the ACA Late Fees Under Prompt Pay — How Much and When Monitor Payer Contracts to Help Manage Revenue Out-of-Network and What It Means Pass-Through...

  • iconWorkers' Compensation Advocacy - 3/7/2025 11:34:12 PM

     Advocacy In Action | Sample Letters | FAQs Regarding HB7 and Workers' Compensation Reform | Resources     TMA's Workers' Compensation Advocacy in Action  Provider Resources (TDI)...

  • iconWorkers' Compensation - 3/7/2025 11:31:38 PM

    TMA Workers' Compensation Resource Center Latest News | Guidelines for Disability Management | E-Tips | FAQs | Fees | Sample Letters | Seminars & Training Latest News Tips for Writing a W...

  • iconTDI Eases Prior Authorization Request Process for Prescription Renewals - 2/28/2025 4:19:50 PM

    After a three-year effort, the Texas Medical Association recently secured a form change that allows physicians to bypass the most onerous part of prior authorization requests when renewing an existing prescription.   The Texas Department o...

  • icon89th 2025 Legi Fact Sheet Position Flyer Senate Bill 818 and House Bill 1906 Threaten Insurance Reforms Patient Protections - 2/28/2025 2:16:38 AM

  • iconGoal Setting for Physicians and TMA Section Business Meetings - 2/14/2025 12:10:33 AM

    Earn 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ GOAL! A A structured approach to setting and achieving meaningful personal and professional growth. Join your colleagues on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 pm (CT) for a virtual educational session. Stephen G. Foster will ...

  • iconTMA Seeks Prior Authorization Reform This Legislative Session - 2/13/2025 6:17:47 PM

    Feb. 13, 2025 Health Plans’ Routines Deny, Delay Patients’ Care       The Texas Medical Association (TMA) seeks to cut health insurers’ burdensome delays and denials of patients’ care this legislative session. When physi...

  • iconTMA News Releases - 1/30/2025 10:38:34 PM

    Please click to see all current TMA News Releases by subject area. _#55#_S Releases by Topic Advisories Health Insurance Issues   Medicare   Public Health Scope of Practice Texas Legislature   TMA Awards and Hon...

  • iconYour Billing and Collections Checklist for 2025 - 1/10/2025 6:02:24 PM

    TMA’s Physician Payment Resource Center staff work year-round with physicians and health plans to help make sure you get paid correctly and on time. They’ve put together a list of practical actions you can take at the start of 2025 to keep your ...

  • iconI Never Knew TMA Membership: Could Help With Addressing My Insurance Needs - 12/11/2024 5:10:04 PM

      Physicians know, perhaps more than most, that not all insurance products are the same. Fortunately, those who belong to the Texas Medical Association can access policies tailored specifically to them and their practices from two TMA-endorsed ...

  • iconSurprise Billing Rules Garner More Legal Action - 12/6/2024 3:33:51 PM

    Pressure is mounting on federal authorities with multiple legal actions now aiming to stop what physicians and hospitals say is an unfair arbitration process outlined in rules implementing the No Surprises Act, legislation passed in 2020 to address s...

  • iconPhysicians Caring for Patients - 12/4/2024 9:52:50 PM

    The Texas Medical Association, the nation’s largest and one of the oldest and most powerful state medical societies, speaks out for more than 59,000 physician and medical student members across the state in our commitment to improve the health of all...

  • iconHealth Insurance Market Increasingly Consolidated, Federal Report Details - 12/3/2024 8:36:40 PM

      A government report detailing increased market consolidation has armed the Texas Medical Association with new data to serve physicians in a dramatically changing health care landscape.  The recently released report from the U.S. Go...

  • iconEvening Out the Scale: TMA Gears Up for Another Legislative Battle Over Surprise Bills - 11/18/2024 9:04:26 PM

    Surprise medical bills are awfully persistent zombies.  The House of Medicine does what it can to address the factors that increase the odds of patients getting blindsided by unexpected, costly medical bills, and yet, the undead issue rises aga...

  • iconTMA Leery of Proposed Balance Billing Law - 11/18/2024 9:03:31 PM

    The Texas Medical Association is deeply skeptical of a state senator’s freshly filed effort to prevent physicians from balance billing patients for the services they provide. On Thursday, Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) filed Senate Bill...

  • iconClosing the Gap: New Texas Network Adequacy Law Tackles Waivers - 11/18/2024 8:30:12 PM

    Austin plastic surgeon Elisabeth Potter, MD, routinely cares for breast cancer patients and survivors from as far away as El Paso and Amarillo. “I’m seeing patients having to travel upwards of four hours to see a reconstruction surgeon who takes the...

  • iconTMA Fights Bad Insurance Bills While Pushing for Network Adequacy Protections - 11/18/2024 6:40:40 PM

    The Texas Medical Association is leveraging its advocacy power against state insurance legislation that would compromise established physician and patient protections, often to the benefit of health plans, despite sometimes good intentions.  Fo...

  • iconTMA Testifies on a Flurry of Public Health, Insurance Bills - 11/18/2024 6:38:45 PM

    As of the March 10 bill filing deadline, state lawmakers had introduced more than 9,000 pieces of legislation, establishing a new record and teeing up the Texas Medical Association’s busiest session yet.   TMA is tracking thousands of thos...

  • iconTMA Joins New Statewide Insurance Reform Coalition - 11/8/2024 7:11:30 PM

    Complementing and ramping up its work to reform insurance practices that adversely affect patient care, the Texas Medical Association has joined a coalition of patient advocates, physicians, and medical groups that aim to put patients front and cente...

  • iconHealth Plans Begin Implementing Prior Auth Exemption Process - 11/7/2024 3:54:10 PM

    Health plans have begun implementing Texas’ new prior authorization exemption process requiring them to issue the first so-called “gold cards” by Oct. 1.    Following the release of the Texas Department of Insurance’s final rules, state-re...

  • iconSample Financial Dashboard - 10/28/2024 7:43:03 PM

    Specialty (per FTE physician) Median Median % LAST YEAR THIS YEAR YTD customize these blocks FINANCIAL MEASURES Benchmark Benchmark Practice Practice Gross Charges Adjustments Gross Collections Adjusted Collections Tota...

  • iconReferrals Telemedicine - 9/17/2024 9:39:01 PM

    Telemedicine Referrals Purpose To ensure an efficient referral process by which patients participate in telemedicine services. Policy Patients referred to distant-site providers for telemedicine services have appropriate documentation comple...

  • iconProvider to Provider Communication telemedicine - 9/17/2024 8:57:09 PM

    Provider-to-Provider Communication Purpose To ensure that patient information is communicated between providers in conjunction with effective patient care coordination, and in a manner that respects the patient’s privacy. Policy This pract...

  • iconAdministration and Billing Telemedicine - 9/17/2024 6:49:54 PM

    Administration and Billing Purpose To ensure that the provision of telemedicine services is financially sustainable. Policy The practice bills telemedicine services to the patient, or to the patient’s insurance, whichever is appropriate. Th...

  • iconUnited Launches National ‘Gold Card’ Program - 9/17/2024 3:24:08 PM

    UnitedHealthcare (UHC) announced the launch of what it’s calling a national “gold card” program, which purports to allow physicians to bypass the prior authorization process and is set to begin Oct. 1.  The Texas Medical Association is analyzin...

  • iconIt Takes a Village: TMA Works Arm in Arm with Other Organizations - 9/13/2024 7:24:23 PM

    TMA’s relationships with a diverse set of key organizations enables TMA to provide comprehensive services in more innovative ways that it could on its own. County Medical Societies are the cornerstone to TMA’s strong grassroots connection to the pra...

  • icon‘TMA Health Beat’ Explores Aging Patient Population’s Unique Needs - 8/21/2024 6:48:20 PM

    Texas expects to see a nearly threefold increase in people aged 65 and older by 2050, according to the Texas Demographic Center, making it crucial for physicians to learn the unique care needs of this population.   TMA’s newest podcast ser...

  • iconTMA Backs Banning Discretionary Clauses - 8/15/2024 8:36:13 PM

    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. Such clauses, already outlawed in 22 states, give the insurers free rein to in...