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I Never Knew TMA: Had AI Experts on its HIT Committee - 02/07/2025

TMA’s HIT Committee stands among nine councils and 18 standing committees that channel physician expertise to influence policy and programs that support Texas patients and physicians and provide solutions to the challenges they encounter.

Key Issues - 01/30/2025

At the heart of TMA's agenda for the 2025 Texas legislative session is protecting the practice of medicine and the patient-physician relationship.

Physicians Rally Around TMA Legislative Priorities at Inaugural Virtual Event - 01/15/2025

With the curtain rising on the 2025 legislative session rising Jan. 14, TMA leaders detailed to attendees how its top 10 legislative priorities tie into physicians’ needs across the state, and how to help advocate at the Capitol on medicine’s most pressing issues in similar upcoming TMA events.

Teens Vulnerable to Social Media Harm, Exploitation, TMA Tells Legislators - 01/14/2025

 TMA presented data on how unfettered access to social media imperils youth. Medicine proposes new protections to safeguard kids as they navigate a digital terrain rife with the risk of manipulation and exploitation.    

I Never Knew TMA: Had Leadership Development Opportunities - 01/07/2025

TMA Leadership Development programming is designed to help build leadership skills, enhance your résumé, boost your career, and help you gain an understanding of how one can make a positive impact in your profession, your association, and your community.

Straight Shooter: Incoming TMA President Ray Callas, MD, Aims for Practice Protections, Membership Gains - 01/06/2025

Incoming Texas Medical Association President Ray Callas, MD, an anesthesiologist from Beaumont, cites as his top priorities preventing scope-of-practice creep, defending physician autonomy, and bolstering the TMA's membership.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Guarding Against Scope of Practice Expansion - 01/06/2025

TMA is working to grow the physician workforce and preserve physician-led health care in Texas.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Striking the Right Balance on Noncompete Agreements - 01/06/2025

TMA endorses a noncompete agreement policy protecting both employee and employer physicians.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Protect Medicine from Corporate Influence - 01/06/2025

TMA continues its work to keep nonmedical entities and corporate influences from interfering with physicians.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Improve Women’s Health and Clarify Abortion Exceptions - 01/06/2025

The Texas Medical Association made big strides last session, securing a hard-won waiver extending Medicaid postpartum coverage to one year and expanding access to other women’s health care through the Healthy Texas Women (HTW) and Family Planning Program, for instance.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Seeking Prior Authorization Reform - 01/06/2025

In 2025, TMA will advocate for improvements to a landmark prior authorization bill and address burdensome Medicaid practices.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Protect Immunizations to Protect Public Health - 01/06/2025

TMA will work to safeguard immunizations this legislative session.

Six Ways to Get Involved in TMA Advocacy - 01/03/2025

There are many ways Texas Medical Association members can get involved with advocacy. We highlight six avenues for members to help.

TMA’s Top Legislative Priorities: Enhance Medicaid Payments and Coverage - 12/31/2024

TMA will work to enhance Medicaid payments and coverage this legislative session

TMA to Represent Texas Physicians’ Coding, Payment Concerns on National Credentialing Organization - 12/17/2024

TMA’s Director of Physician Payment Services has been appointed to the former Academy of Professional Coders’ National Advisory Board, where she will elevate the voices of Texas physicians through collaboration on coding, billing, and compliance issues.

I Never Knew TMA: Did So Much Legislative Work - 12/16/2024

The Texas Medical Association's legislative agenda protects the patient-physician relationship from interference.

TMA Installs Beaumont Anesthesiologist as President - 12/10/2024

The Texas Medical Association installed Beaumont anesthesiologist G. Ray Callas, MD, as president during TexMed, the association’s annual conference, held in Dallas.

TMA Elects San Antonio Physician President-Elect - 12/10/2024

The Texas Medical Association elected San Antonio internist and hyperbaric medicine specialist Jayesh B. “Jay” Shah, MD, president-elect during TexMed, the association’s annual conference, held in Dallas. Dr. Shah is the first Indian American TMA president-elect.

TMA Elects Houston, North Texas, Central Texas, Panhandle Physicians to Board - 12/10/2024

The Texas Medical Association has elected representatives from Amarillo, North Texas, Houston, Temple, and Waco to serve on its ;Board of Trustees. These physicians will decide and implement TMA policies and deliberate various health care issues that impact the health and lives of Texans.

Record State Budget Opens Door for Health Care Investment - 12/05/2024

The 88th Texas Legislature kicked off earlier this month, and the Texas Medical Association is already tracking nearly 700 bills, including promising proposals to reduce prior authorization requirements and concerning ones regarding scope expansion.

On Guard for the Patient-Physician Relationship: 2023 Legislative Preview - 12/05/2024

A pandemic wind-down, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, a possible recession, a national surprise-billing law. The 2023 Texas legislative session is one shaping up to be defined by a host of federal forces, some of them potentially contentious. Nevertheless, the House of Medicine stands steadfast in its legislative priorities. At the heart of the Texas Medical Association’s agenda for this session: protecting the practice of medicine and the patient-physician relationship, whether from criminalization, interference from insurers and other nonmedical entities, or public health threats.

The Physicians Foundation Seeks Health Care Leaders for New, Free Training Program - 11/20/2024

The one-year, hybrid training program will teach 25 physicians from across the country how to influence health care policy development at both state and federal levels. Participation in the program includes full coverage for tuition, travel, and CME credits.

Senate Committee Tackles Scope of Practice in Access-to-Care Hearing - 11/18/2024

In a hearing packed with representatives from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, behavioral health, licensing boards, and academia, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee tackled Texas’ health care workforce shortages with the Texas Medical Association delivering its message loud and clear: Expanding scope of practice is not the answer to helping patients in rural and underserved areas.

TMA Leadership Encourages Legislative Relationships to Protect Medicine - 11/18/2024

To best serve medicine’s agenda in the upcoming Texas legislative session, the Texas Medical Association urges members to make and capitalize on relationships with their local representatives, as leadership previewed the likely tumultuous session ahead at the close of TMA’s Business of Medicine Conference last week.

Future Noncompete Bills Must Strike Balance, TMA Tells Texas Lawmakers - 11/18/2024

In the practice of medicine, noncompete agreements have special public policy concerns, “as their use can impact continuity of care, access to needed medical services, and patient choice of a physician,” the Texas Medical Association recently testified to the Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee. That’s largely why any future bills on noncompete agreements should “strike a reasonable balance between the employer’s interests and the interests of the employee and the public.”