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TMA-Backed Bills Would Increase Access to Women’s Reproductive, Early Childhood Health Care - 03/24/2023

Twelve month postpartum coverage and a boost to certain Medicaid payments top a list of measures Texas lawmakers are moving on that would bolster women’s health care services, in line with the Texas Medical Association’s priorities for

TMA Chart Shows COVID-19 Risks for Various Activities - 03/15/2023

Texas Medical Association (TMA) physician experts recently created a chart  to help Texans make informed choices about which activities are safest to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking the Pain out of Prescribing Opioids: CDC Revises Guidelines - 03/10/2023

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued guidelines to help physicians prescribe opioids safely, and one of the reasons, the agency freely admits, is to clear up confusion caused by its last set of guidelines, which were issued in 2016. 

Stop Maternal Deaths: Texas Report Reinforces TMA Legislative Priorities - 03/10/2023

The latest biennial survey of maternal death and illness shows why the Texas Medical Association made improving maternal health one of its top priorities for the current state legislative session.

Blood Test Update to Help Detect, Treat Child Lead Exposure Sooner - 02/28/2023

Consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, Texas health officials have updated blood testing in children to help detect and treat lead exposure sooner.

WIC Baby Formula Flexibilities End in March as Shortage Resolves - 02/14/2023

With the nationwide baby formula shortage coming to an end, February is the last month that alternative infant formula brands will be offered to families under the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), says the Texas Department of State Health Services. The change comes as Texas WIC begins its five-year contract with Enfamil manufacturer Mead Johnson.

New Screening Guidelines Approved to Improve Early Detection of Diabetes and HIV - 01/24/2023

Medicaid and most group health plans will implement updated screening guidelines for diabetes during and after pregnancy, beginning in 2024, thanks to changes recently approved by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

Monkeypox Cases Resurface; CDC Urges Vigilance - 01/05/2023

With cases of monkeypox recently reported in several countries that don’t normally have that virus – including at least one confirmed case in the U.S. – federal health authorities are advising physicians to be on the lookout for the characteristic rash usually associated with monkeypox.

Maternal Death Report Reinforces TMA Priorities for Maternal Care - 12/29/2022

The latest biennial report on maternal deaths in Texas and a subsequent update show Texas still has a long way to go to adequately protect the health of women in their child-bearing years – especially women who are Black – reinforcing the Texas Medical Association’s long-standing efforts to improve maternal care and access.

Texas Physicians Warn: Don’t Let Accidental Overdose Ruin Your Holidays (and Your Life) - 12/13/2022

The holidays are a time of joy and celebration for many, but they could turn tragic if someone takes one pill they should not. Substance misuse – especially unwittingly taking street drugs that contain fentanyl – can destroy a life. A very small amount of illegally manufactured fentanyl (IMF) can be deadly.

Newborn Screening Kits Expire Dec. 31; Cost Updates Expected Spring 2023 - 12/08/2022

Newborn screening kits with a nine-digit serial number beginning with 20 (e.g. TX 20-XXXXXXX) will expire on Dec. 31, and physicians are encouraged to use the kits to collect specimens and to ensure their stock is up to date after the end of the month.

'They Came in Droves': Former TMA President Douglas Curran, MD, Starts an FQHC - 12/04/2022

Former TMA President Doug Curran, MD, fulfilled a long-time dream of expanding care by cofounding the East Texas Community Clinic, a federally qualified health center.

The Down and Dirty on Wastewater Surveillance: COVID-19 Gives it a Boost - 12/04/2022

Wastewater epidemiology has been around for about two decades, but it didn't really take off in Texas until COVID-19 came along.

Counting on Women’s Health: Texas Takes Steps to Fix Maternal Mortality Data - 11/23/2022

There is a lot of confusion about how cases of maternal death and illness are counted in Texas, and the work of unraveling that confusion falls on the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.

Physicians Serve as Lead Clinicians to Support Mental Health Intervention - 11/17/2022

The impact of adverse childhood events (ACEs) can be lasting and costly on patient health and medical outcomes. In the United States, more than 20% of adults report experiencing three ACEs during their youth, potentially increasing the risk of negative, chronic health consequences and challenges such as alcoholism, depression, unemployment, heart disease and substance abuse, among many others.

CDC: “Brie” Mindful of Listeria Outbreak Linked to Cheese - 11/01/2022

Don’t cut, bake, or serve recalled cheeses this holiday season.

COVID-19 Now a Major Cause of Maternal Death, GAO Report Says - 11/01/2022

An analysis by the Government Accountability Office provides the first glimpse into the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women, and – not surprisingly – the disease has become a leading cause of death among them, says Houston obstetrician-gynecologist Rakhi Dimino, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Reproductive, Women’s, and Perinatal Health.

Physicians Urge Texans to Safely Return Unused Prescription Medication - 10/27/2022

Texas physicians recommend people with unused or expired prescription drugs at home dispose of them safely this weekend, so they are not accidently consumed. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is organizing its biannual prescription drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 29. Prescription drugs can be returned anonymously at pop up locations across the state.

Prepare for Disasters With TMA’s Help - 10/08/2022

The Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and physicians who may be affected by a hurricane or other tropical storm need to be prepared. For help doing so, look to TMA's Disaster Preparedness and Response Resource Center.

Medicine Pushes For Expanding Medicaid Coverage to New Moms - 10/07/2022

Federal lawmakers must pass a bill that would allow states to provide 12 months postpartum coverage to mothers who lose Medicaid coverage two months after giving birth, and would provide a bump in Medicaid matching dollars for those states, medicine and others said in a letter this week.

Maternal Deaths: First U.S. Data Since 2007 Shows Serious Problems Persist - 10/07/2022

Texas’ rate of maternal deaths is slightly above the national level, long-awaited new data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows.

Keeping Pace: Monkeypox Poses Public Health Challenges - 10/03/2022

In yet another test to the state’s public health response efforts, monkeypox – rarely seen outside of countries in Africa – has spread rapidly since late spring, and Texas physicians and other health care professionals likely unfamiliar with the virus should remain vigilant for the possibility of cases among their patients.

Texas' Plan to Promote LARCs Released - 09/08/2022

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) on Thursday will release the state's five-year strategic plan for promoting long-acting, reversible contraceptive devices (LARCs), which are seen as key to reducing the state's high maternal mortality rate. 

Reaching for the Cure: Texas Medicaid Doesn't Cover Hep C Drugs Until Patients Are Seriously Ill - 09/07/2022

Infectious disease specialist Ogechika Alozie, MD, has a ready-made solution for patients diagnosed with hepatitis C now that five medications can rid patients of this deadly disease. But for Texas Medicaid patients, there’s a catch. The program does not pay for the cure based just on a diagnosis. Instead, Medicaid pays only after a blood test, biopsy, or sonogram shows the liver is so badly damaged that it’s on the verge of cirrhosis. At that point, patients who get the medication will be cured of their hepatitis C but more vulnerable to other deadly illnesses, like liver cancer.

Hurricane Harvey: One Year Later - 09/01/2022

Studies of the public health, mental health, and environmental effects of the storm could take years to complete. Meanwhile, physician practices share their own lessons learned.