News

Pause Administering Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, Health Officials Say - 04/13/2021

Physicians and health facilities should temporarily halt administering the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine following reports of blood clots in six people six to 13 days after receiving the vaccine.

Eliminating Care Delays and Waste in Prior Auth - 04/13/2021

The House of Medicine brought one strong reason after another to Tuesday’s House Insurance Committee hearing on why lawmakers should support a measure that takes two major steps to reduce physicians’ prior authorization burden.  

Seven Expo Hall Highlights at TexMed - 04/13/2021

TexMed 2021 is just one month away. To get ready for the Texas Medical Association’s annual conference, check out seven of the exciting things planned for the TMA Expo Hall throughout the virtual event, scheduled for May 14 and 15.

Legislative Hotline: Budget Talk; TMA Bills Advance Toward Passage - 04/13/2021

Budget discussions at the Texas Capitol are looking better for the house of medicine than they did at the start of the legislature’s 2021 session. But physicians need to keep letting lawmakers know how important its priorities are for the state’s 2022-23 funding.  

Legislative Hotline: Chasing the “Gold” on Prior Auth; Gender-Affirming Care - 04/12/2021

The Texas Medical Association is sending three physician leaders to Tuesday's House Insurance Committee hearing to address the hassles and care impediments of health plans’ preauthorization requirements.

Prior Authorization Hassles Almost Always Cause Care Delays, Survey Shows - 04/12/2021

Most physicians know that health insurers’ prior authorization policies delay access to care, often causing serious harm to patients. A survey of physicians taken in December 2020 by the American Medical Association shows just how often prior auth delays occur.

Medical Billing Tax, Prior Auth, Telemedicine Hit Committee Hearings - 04/09/2021

The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to take a look today at a bill that would protect billing companies from a tax currently scheduled to begin in October – and protect physicians and patients from any of those costs billing organizations pass on to them.

COVID-19 Vaccine Info, April 9, 2021: Another 1.9 Million Doses Coming to Texas - 04/09/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccine information as of April 9, 2012

New Tools to Help Medicine Fight Prior Auth Hassles - 04/09/2021

TMA has created a prior auth social media toolkit that includes messages, sample posts, and articles that you can share on your personal or practice social media channels.

TMA Fund Offers Assistance for Substance Abuse Treatment - 04/09/2021

If you or a colleague is struggling with alcohol or any other substance abuse disorder and needs treatment, TMA's Physicians Benevolent Wellness Fund is here to provide financial assistance for qualified physicians and their immediate families.

House Speaker’s Health Care Package Includes TMA Priority Bills - 04/08/2021

Several of the Texas Medical Association’s legislative priorities were on display yesterday during a press conference by House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) and a coalition of bipartisan lawmakers, including Rep. Tom Oliverson, MD (R-Cypress).  

HHSC Seeks Medicaid EHR Review Panel Members - 04/08/2021

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is accepting applications for its Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Program Audit Ad Hoc Review Panel.

COVID-19 Vaccines: FDA Updates Dosage, Storage Information for Moderna Vaccine - 04/07/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccine information as of April 7, 2021.

House Passes Measure to Prevent Medical Billing Tax - 04/07/2021

Thanks to tireless work from a physician-legislator, the house of medicine took a huge step Tuesday toward preventing a planned tax on medical billing services that would take money out of patients’ and physicians’ pockets.

Diabetes, Asthma, Substance Use Disorders Now Considered High Risk for Severe COVID-19 - 04/07/2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added several medical conditions to a list of those that place patients at high risk for a more severe case of COVID-19.

Legislative Hotline: Medicaid Continuous Coverage Measures Advance - 04/06/2021

The House Human Services Committee this morning OK’d legislation supporting TMA’s longstanding goals to extend Medicaid coverage for both pregnant women and children.  

A Quarter of Texans Could Have COVID-19 Antibodies, Survey Finds - 04/06/2021

More than a quarter of Texans could have COVID-19 antibodies, according to preliminary data from a statewide seroprevalance study that seeks to understand the human antibody response to the virus that causes COVID-19

Information Blocking Rule Compliance Now in Effect - 04/06/2021

Effective April 5, all practices must comply with the information-blocking regulations that are part of the federal 21st Century Cures Act. If you’re still confused about how the new rules will affect you and your practice, TMA has created and curated several resources to help.

April 6: Participate in First Tuesdays at the Capitol - 04/05/2021

The Texas Medical Association needs your voice to amplify medicine’s priorities at the Capitol during the legislative session. The April 6 virtual First Tuesdays at the Capitol is one of two final events to do that before the session ends.

COVID-19 Vaccine Info, April 4, 2021: • Record 2.5 Million Doses Coming to Texas - 04/05/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccination information as of April 5, 2021

Medicaid to Increase Payment Per COVID-19 Vaccine Dose - 04/05/2021

Starting April 1, Medicaid began paying physicians and practices that administer COVID-19 vaccines $40 per dose to align with Medicare’s payment policy announced last month, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced.

Should You Provide a COVID-19 Vaccine to Patients With Mild Allergies? - 04/01/2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a chart that shows how practices should triage patients who have a history of severe anaphylaxis to vaccines and those with mild considerations like food or animal allergies.

Medicare to Double Payment to Administer Vaccines - 04/01/2021

Medicare will pay physicians and practices that administer COVID-19 vaccines $40 per dose – nearly double the current payment, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced.

New Rules Could Make It Harder to Enroll in Healthy Texas Women - 04/01/2021

Healthy Texas Women (HTW) has changed how it determines eligibility for low-income women who use the program, which could put a greater burden on physicians and other health care professionals who help patients get and stay with these services, TMA says.  

Bills Would Help Improve Maternal Health in Texas - 04/01/2021

Keeping pregnant women and new mothers safe and healthy has long been among the Texas Medical Association’s top priorities, and several bills introduced this legislative session could help that goal.