Texas legislation

State Law Banning Refusal of Care to Certain Unvaccinated Patients Takes Effect - 08/30/2023

Starting Sept. 1, a new state law prohibits clinicians caring for patients enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to refuse health care services based on their vaccination status.

Medical Board Renewed; Special Session Ends - 08/23/2023

The 85th Texas Legislature returned to Austin July 18 for its first called special session. Senate and House members, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Joe Straus, have 30 days to address the 20 topics identified by Gov. Greg Abbott starting with the Texas Medical Board sunset bill and other sunset legislation.

What You Need to Know About the Texas MOC Law - 08/23/2023

TMA's new white paper answers many questions on a tough new law that protects physicians from being forced to undergo maintenance of certification (MOC).

Patient Care Protected: Scope Creep/GME Funding - 08/07/2023

The Texas Medical Association's top legislative priority this session was to protect independent diagnosing and prescribing as the practice of medicine and to address current workforce shortages in a way that ensures patients have access to the same standard of care, regardless of where they live.

Physician-Led Results: Scope-of-Practice Creep/GME Funding - 08/07/2023

As in most legislative sessions, TMA once again successfully defended against the myriad scope-of-practice expansion attempts that surfaced, instead advocating for and winning more sustainable solutions to the state’s physician workforce shortage, including investing in graduate medical education.

'All You Need to Do Is RSVP': Alliance Leader Opens Invitation to Medical Advocacy - 08/04/2023

TMA Alliance leader Jenny Shepherd’s open invitation to medical advocacy is an award-winning approach

Patient Care Protected: Medicaid Payment Increase - 08/04/2023

One of the Texas Medical Association's top legislative priorities this session was to help physicians grow their Medicaid panels and access to care with healthier payment rates.

Patient Care Protected: Network Adequacy, Surprise Billing - 08/04/2023

Spurred by physician reports of insurers taking advantage of their leverage in contract negotiations, the Texas Medical Association prioritized network adequacy reform this session.

Patient Care Protected: Prior Authorization Reforms - 08/04/2023

Carrying the torch from last session, the Texas Medical Association followed up on its 2021 gold-card success with a new prior authorization reform for vulnerable patients and other insurance-related policy wins this session.

Patient Care Protected: Physician Autonomy/Corporate Practice Protections - 08/04/2023

Despite an onslaught of attempts by state government and corporate entities to undermine the patient-physician relationship, the Texas Medical Association successfully prevented any new measures criminalizing patient care this legislative session

Patient Care Protected: Medical Liability Reforms - 08/04/2023

For the 20th year in a row, the Texas Medical Association successfully defended the state's medical liability reforms, in keeping with its legislative priorities for the most recent session.

Patient Care Protected: Medicaid Coverage for Women and Children - 08/04/2023

The Texas Medical Association achieved a key legislative objective this session with the passage of House Bill 12 by Rep. Toni Rose (D-Dallas), which extends Medicaid postpartum coverage from two months to one year.

Patient Care Protected: TMA Secured Big Legislative Wins With a New Strategy - 08/04/2023

Guided by a set of priorities and girded by grassroots physician advocacy, the Texas Medical Association entered the 2023 legislative session with a laser focused approach and came out hitting targets in every area of medicine’s agenda.

Legislative Hotline March 4, 2021: TMA Opposes End-of-Life Care Bill That Poses Threat to “Do No Harm” - 07/17/2023

The Texas Medical Association is once again working to stop legislative attacks on a physician’s sacred creed to “do no harm,” which includes taking care of patients in their last days.

Legislative Hotline Feb. 11, 2021: TMA, Lawmakers Seek to Strengthen State Immunization Registry - 07/17/2023

The Texas Medical Association, the Texas Hospital Association, and several state lawmakers stand behind legislation that would fix technological issues with the state’s registry, ImmTrac2, and make entry of a patient’s vaccination data the default.

Legislative Hotline Jan. 27: Texas’ 2022-23 Budget Proposals: What They Mean for Medicine - 07/17/2023

The Texas House and Senate have both unveiled their starting-point proposals for the 2022-23 budget, and the Texas Medical Association has been digging into the numbers to see what the proposals represent as a starting point for medicine. Here is a look at some of what’s in the two (largely similar) budget offerings.

Legislative Hotline Feb. 8, 2021: Why Get Involved in TMA Advocacy? “No Better Thing to Do” - 07/17/2023

"It’s vital, it’s important, it’s meaningful." TMA encourages physicians to become involved in advocating for medicine's key issues this legislative session.

Legislative Hotline, Feb. 26: Invest in Coverage Expansion, Medicaid Improvements, TMA Tells Senators - 07/17/2023

With nearly one-fifth of all Texans lacking health care coverage, the Texas Medical Association is urging the  Senate Finance Committee to provide comprehensive, meaningful coverage for the state.

TMA, Lawmakers Working to Tackle Telemedicine Parity, Prior Authorization - 07/17/2023

As one of the most unique eras of both living and lawmaking continues, attendees at TMA’s Winter Conference heard about medicine’s legislative agenda in both Austin and Washington, D.C., and how COVID-19 has helped shape this year’s legislative focus.

TMA to Fight for Health Coverage Expansion, Scope of Practice During 2021 Legislature - 07/17/2023

At the 2020 Texas Medical Association Advocacy Retreat on Saturday, Debra Patt, MD, chair of TMA’s Council on Legislation, laid out a preview of medicine’s top legislative priorities for the upcoming session.

Ask TMA Experts About Grassroots Virtual Advocacy - 07/17/2023

Ready to take the plunge into grassroots advocacy at the legislature but still not confident about what to do and how to do it? The Texas Medical Association’s Feb. 25 Ask the Expert session is your opportunity to ask questions about tactics, tools, messaging, and more, and how it all works in a virtual environment.

Getting Right to Work: Canvassing Votes and Setting Rules — Hotline Jan. 10 - 07/17/2023

The House and Senate convened a joint session today to canvass the votes from the November general election for governor and lieutenant governor. All members are now officially elected to office, save for the three vacant House seats that will be filled in by special elections over the next 35 days.

Hotline Jan. 21, 2021: Physicians to Have Strong Voice in Texas Senate - 07/17/2023

When Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released the Texas Senate’s committee assignments last week, the Texas Medical Association was pleased to see extensive committee roles carved out for the chamber’s three physician-legislators.

Physician-Led Results: Medicaid Rate Increase - 06/28/2023

Texas physicians aimed to win a focused Medicaid rate increase in this year’s Texas legislative session, one designed to improve coverage for children and young mothers. For the first time in more than a decade, they got it.

Physician-Led Results: Corporate Practice of Medicine Protections - 06/28/2023

Despite an onslaught of attempts by state government and corporate entities to undermine the patient-physician relationship, TMA successfully prevented any new measures criminalizing patient care this legislative session. Medicine also laid the foundation for a balanced solution to the use of noncompete clauses.