News

UHC Expands EZ Claim Pay Service to Certain Texas Medicare Patients - 07/26/2024

As of July 1, UnitedHealthcare has expanded its EZ Claim Pay service to Texas for Medicare Supplement Plan G patients, and for those patients who enroll, physicians won’t need to bill them directly for their Medicare Part B deductible.

Texas’ Maternal Initiative Seeks Experienced Physician Members - 07/26/2024

In its goal of supporting best practices to improve maternal health outcomes, the Texas Department of State Health Services’ Texas Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health is seeking new, volunteer faculty members to serve on two open groups.

Maternal Health Problems in Central Texas Underscore Statewide Crisis - 07/22/2024

Central Texas has significant maternal health challenges, including the highest rate of maternal death among black women, in part because of barriers to health care coverage and because resources are underused, according to a report by the nonprofit Texans Care for Children.

West Nile Cases Rising in Texas; One Death Confirmed - 07/22/2024

State health officials have confirmed 19 cases of West Nile illness in Texas this year, including one death. Most of the confirmed cases have been identified in El Paso with 13, according to data from the Department of State Health Services. Other cases have been confirmed in Brazoria, Floyd, Hale, Harris, Nolan, and Tarrant counties.

West Nile, Chikungunya, Dengue Reported In Texas - 07/22/2024

Summer hasn’t started yet – that happens June 21 – but several cases of vector-borne diseases have been identified in Texas. Four cases each of chikungunya and dengue have been reported in Dallas, Fort Bend, Harris, Lubbock, Tarrant, and Travis counties, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said this week.

Evidence of Zika Infection Found in More Than 250 Texas Mothers - 07/22/2024

Officials have identified 265 Texas women who had evidence of a Zika infection while pregnant, a new report from the Texas Department of State Health Services says.

New Poster Encourages Flu Vaccination Amid COVID-19 - 07/22/2024

“COVID-19 is here, but so is the flu.” That is the message of a new downloadable poster available from the Texas Medical Association’s Be Wise – Immunize program to help you stress the need for flu vaccination, this year more than ever.

Court Considers Attack on Noneconomic Damages Cap - 07/18/2024

The bedrock of the medicine-backed 2003 tort reform legislation in Texas was a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages in medical negligence lawsuits, a balance that the Texas Medical Association helped lawmakers strike between compensating injured patients and keeping physicians out of bankruptcy.

Medicare Proposes Yet Another Physician Pay Cut in 2025 - 07/11/2024

In yet another destabilizing move for physician practices, Medicare on July 10 proposed what amounts to another pay cut for the nation’s physicians in the face of increasing costs, positioning organized medicine for heightened advocacy.

CMS Advises: Check Medical Records Requests for Phishing - 07/01/2024

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS warns physicians to be aware of common phishing scams for medical records, such as fraudulent medical records requests faxed to practices.

More Work Needed to Protect Texas Physicians - 06/28/2024

Following the Texas Medical Board’s newly adopted rules on abortion ban exceptions, the Texas Medical Association continues its advocacy for physicians performing abortions to treat a medical emergency under the state’s overlapping abortion laws.

Physicians Can Delegate Breach Notifications to Change Healthcare Following Cyberattack - 06/26/2024

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights announced  May 31 that covered entities – such as health plans, health care clearinghouses, and physicians – affected by privacy breaches stemming from the February cyberattack on Change Healthcare and its parent corporation UnitedHealth Group may delegate breach notifications to both companies.

HHS Establishes Information-Blocking Disincentives for Clinicians - 06/25/2024

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a final rule that aims to hold health care professionals, including physicians, accountable for information blocking as determined by the HHS Office of Inspector General.

G-Code Payment Frustration Persists With Inconsistent Implementation - 06/25/2024

Deepening ongoing physician concerns over Medicare’s add-on code for complex care, two major payers have either reduced payment for G2211 claims or announced plans to stop paying certain claims associated with the code altogether. Read more.

FTC Mandates Vendors Notify Patients of Breaches in Health Information - 06/24/2024

The Federal Trade Commission has amended its Health Breach Notification Rule to require vendors of personal health records and related entities not covered by HIPAA to notify individuals, the FTC, and, at times, the media, when a breach in protected health information occurs. The change will take effect July 29.

New TMA Policy: Reduce Fentanyl Overdoses with Improved Naloxone Access - 06/24/2024

Over a 27-hour period this spring, the city of Austin saw nine people die across 79 separate overdose incidents, reflecting the severity of the statewide fentanyl crisis. Policy approved by the Texas Medical Association’s House of Delegates in May anticipated the problem and promotes one of the most effective solutions – increased education about and distribution of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug.

TMA Members Win Key AMA Seats - 06/21/2024

In addition to influencing a dozen American Medical Association policies at its annual meeting in June, Texas Medical Association members also won key seats in AMA leadership positions.

Texas Influences a Dozen AMA Policies - 06/21/2024

Texas made its presence known in Chicago when the Texas Delegation to the American Medical Association arrived to advocate for stronger action to fix physicians’ Medicare payments once and for all, health plan accountability, and vigilance on scope creep in emergency departments.

Committee on Independent Physician Practice Announces Members - 06/21/2024

After recognizing the dire needs of private practice physicians, Texas Medical Association leaders have appointed the members of its inaugural Committee on Independent Physician Practice with broad representation.

UHC Postpones Higher Liability Coverage Requirements Plan - 06/20/2024

UnitedHealthCare (UHC) postponed a plan that would require Texas physicians to substantially increase their professional liability insurance coverage in order to participate in its networks. The move comes after the Harris County Medical Society and Texas Medical Association expressed serious concerns about the new policy.

Vaccine Grants Improve Patient Access - 06/17/2024

One of many ways the Texas Medical Association fights to bridge gaps in care, the Vaccines Defend What Matters program has announced its first round of 2024 grantees, who address pressing immunization needs while reaching underserved communities.

TMA Presses Congress to Preserve Independent Practice Viability - 06/13/2024

Administrative hassle, cyberattacks, and other threats to physician practice viability have caught the attention of federal lawmakers, with the Texas Medical Association weighing in heavily on the attendant impacts on physician practices following a May 23 hearing, “The Collapse of Private Practice: Examining the Challenges Facing Independent Medicine.”

Wanted: AI Experts for TMA Committee - 06/05/2024

As augmented and artificial intelligence dominate headlines, the Texas Medical Association is looking to ensure physicians’ interests are represented and protected.

TMAF Record-Breaking Gala Raises Thousands for TMA Outreach Programs - 06/03/2024

More than 500 Texas Medical Association and TMA Alliance members and friends of medicine made Wonderland, the 31st TMA Foundation Gala, a record-breaking success by raising more than $475,000.

Texas House Interim Charges Prioritize Access to Care - 06/03/2024

In an extension of the 2023 state legislative session, the Texas House remains focused on expanding access among Medicaid, pregnant, and mental health care patients, goals it shares with the Texas Medical Association.