Hospitals

Physician, Hospital Groups Distribute Urgent Measles Advisory - 06/29/2023

Texas doctors and hospitals have a new tool to fight the ever-increasing measles threat, as the number of people sickened by the infectious yet preventable disease climbs. The Texas Medical Association (TMA) and Texas Hospital Association (THA) have created a new resource to help physicians, hospitals, and other health care professionals combat the highly contagious, yet entirely preventable, respiratory illness.

Medicare Pay, Physician-Owned Hospitals Considered in Health Care Competition Hearings - 05/09/2023

Federal lawmakers recently considered several bills related to transparency and competition in the health care industry, including two that could alleviate Texas physicians’ long-standing concerns about inequitable Medicare payments and a prohibition on physician-owned hospitals.

Hospital Ownership the Focus of New Medicare Report - 03/14/2023

In an effort to analyze the impact of consolidation within the health care system, Medicare for the first time has released data on mergers and acquisitions for enrolled hospitals and nursing homes between 2016 and 2022. The action follows up on the Biden Administration's Executive Order on Promoting Competition.

CMS Drops Opposition to Texas’ Medicaid Waiver Extension; TMA Concerns Persist - 05/26/2022

Texas’ safety net got a reprieve when the federal government agreed to drop its opposition to a 10-year extension of Texas’ Medicaid 1115 Transformation Waiver, ensuring an annual $3.8 billion to offset uncompensated care through 2030.

How is Your Relationship With Your Hospital? - 10/06/2020

TMA is conducting the 2020 survey, and we’d appreciate your input this month on how hospital relationships affect you.

Be Vigilant - Hospital Medical Staff Bylaws and You - 09/16/2020

To bolster an argument that bylaws are binding on physicians, medical staff, and a hospital, the Texas Medical Association Office of the General Counsel has crafted language that could improve the binding effect of your hospital’s bylaws.

Update: TMB Clears Up Questions About PMP Checks for Inpatient Care - 02/21/2020

Will you be required to check the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) when a patient is admitted to a hospital or emergency department? Will you be required to check PMP Aware upon admission? What if you need to prescribe those medications while the patient is in that facility? The Texas Medical Board issued guidance on those very questions this week.

Hospitals Can Improve Care for Patients With Hearing-Loss, TMA Says - 01/03/2020

Hospitals and emergency departments should provide specific forms of identification for patients with hearing loss, the Texas Medical Association emphasized to the Texas Hospital Association last year.

All Together Now: Health Care Mergers Reshape the Way Texas Physicians Practice - 08/02/2019

Consolidation has touched just about every part of today’s health care industry. Hospitals, medical practices, pharmacies, insurance companies are all merging in various ways — a trend epitomized by the 2018 announcement that hospital systems Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas and Memorial Hermann in Houston plan to become one big nonprofit.

The Deal's Off: Baylor, Memorial Hermann Opt to Skip Merger - 03/12/2019

Many health care companies have merged in recent years, but nothing symbolized the high-dollar, high-stakes nature of the trend like the proposed $14 billion merger of Texas health care giants Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas and Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston. But then officials from both health care systems abruptly called off the deal today.

Each Physician Generates $2.4 Million For Hospitals, Survey Shows - 02/28/2019

According to a survey released this week, a physician generates an average of almost $2.4 million per year in net revenue on behalf of his or her affiliated hospitals. That’s an increase of almost 52 percent from 2016 figures, according to the  2019 Physician Inpatient/Outpatient Revenue Survey .

Physician Employment Continues to Grow, Survey Shows - 02/21/2019

According to a survey released this week, hospitals and health systems acquired 8,000 medical practices nationwide between July 2016 and January 2018. Also during those 18 months, 14,000 physicians left private practice for employment arrangements with hospitals, the numbers show.

Crisis in the Country - 09/26/2018

Since 2010, Texas has seen more rural hospitals close than has any other state, leaving huge gaps in health care; however, the state's rural areas have options for maintaining health care facilities.

TMA Applauds 15-month Medicaid Waiver Extension - 06/19/2018

Statement of John Holcomb, MD, Chair of the Texas Medical Association Select Committee on Medicaid, CHIP & Uninsured, on today's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announcement confirming a 15-month extension of the Medicaid 1115 Waiver for the state of Texas.

Is Congress Doing Enough to Protect Physician Practices? - 02/27/2018

The Physicians Advocacy Institute is urging federal lawmakers to re-examine health care policies to ensure they promote competition and put private physicians on a level playing field with hospitals and other corporate entities.

Reviewers Required for Rural Revenue Recipients - 02/06/2018

If you understand rural health needs and have some time to help facilities in those areas seek state funding, the State Office of Rural Health needs your help.