84th Texas Legislature Testimonies and Letters

TMA physician leaders worked tirelessly on behalf of their profession and their patients to improve Texas health care system. During the 84th legislative session, TMA councils and committees locked down and promoted health care policies to ensure Texas’ patients have access to affordable and high quality health care. Read TMA’s testimonies, comments, and letters to state lawmakers. 

Aging  

• Work Now to Promote Healthy Aging (Interim Testimony, Feb. 18, 2016)
• Peggy Russell, MD Tells Lawmakers More Is Needed to Improve Access for Seniors (PDF, May 16, 2014) 

Budget

• Letter to Budget Conferees (April 28, 2015)

Health Information Technology

• Telehealth: A Skill to be Mastered and a System to be Optimized (Interim Testimony, Feb. 10, 2016)
• TMA Seeks Safe Harbor for HIE Users (House Bill 2641, May 20, 2015)
• Bill Would Set Health Information Exchange Guidelines (House Bill 2641, April 14, 2015)
• TMA Supports Privatizing Texas Health Services Authority (House Bill 1680, March 16, 2015)
• Continue Texas Health Services Authority (Senate Bill 203, March 4, 2015)
• TMA Testimony: Improve Interoperability to Exchange Information in Sate Registries (Sept. 24, 2014)

Health Insurance

• Meaningful Prompt Pay Remedies Still Needed (March 31, 2016)
• ID ACA Plans on ID Cards (House Bill 1514. May 14, 2015)
• TMA Opposes Three-Day Written Price Disclosure (House Bill 3102, April 8, 2015)
• Keep Monetary Threshold for Mediation (House Bill 3133, April 8, 2015)
• TMA: Identify ACA Plans on ID Cards (House Bill 1514, April 8, 2015)
• TMA Supports Keeping Monetary Threshold for Mediation (Senate Bill 481, March 24, 2015)
• Dr. Patrick Carter Outlines How ACA Exchanges Impacted Physicians and Their Patients (Interim Charge #1, Dec. 3, 2014)
• Impact and Implementation of Transparency Legislation Passed in 2007 (PDF, Interim Charge #7, Sept. 15, 2004) 

Health and Human Services Commission Sunset 

• Delay DSHS/DFPS Merger; Support Other Sunset Proposals (House Bill 2304, April 27, 2015)
• John Holcomb, MD: Delay Merging DSHS and DFPS into HHSC (Senate Bill 200 and Senate Bill 207, March 23, 1015)
• Keep Perinatal Advisory Council to Improve Birth Outcomes (Senate Bill 200, March 23, 2015) 

Medicaid

• Physicians Prescribe Three Remedies to Improve Medicaid (Interim Testimony, March 8, 2016)
• Improve Medicaid HMO Provider Networks, Directories (Senate Bill 760, May 11, 2015)
• Close Care Gap for Children (House Bill 839, April 7, 2015)
• Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst: Improve Medicaid HMOs Physician Networks (Senate Bill 760, March 18, 2015)
• Enact Competitive Medicaid/CHIP Physician Payments (Feb. 19, 2015)
• Repeal Physicians’ Dual-Eligible Payment Cut (Feb. 19, 2015)
• Lawmakers Urged to Improve Medicaid/CHIP Payments (Feb. 16, 2015)
• TMA Letter to HHSC Opposing APNA and PA Payment Cut (Nov. 14, 2014)
• John Holcomb, MD Asks Sunset Commission to Reduce Medicaid HMO Red Tape (PDF, Nov. 13, 2014)
• TMA Letter: Take Bold Action and Increase Physicians' Medicaid Payments (PDF, Sept. 26, 2014)
• TMA Comments on Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement 1115 Medicaid Waiver (May 15, 2014)  

Medicaid OIG  

• Mistakes Aren’t Fraud; Make Medicaid OIG Fair (Senate Bill 207, May 11, 2015)
•  TMA Letter to Sunset Commission on Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Investigation and OIG Actions (PDF, Oct. 17, 2014)

Medical Power of Attorney  

• Medical Power of Attorney Co-Agents a Troubling Idea (House Bill 3095, April 21, 2015) 

Prescribing

• Improve Prescription Monitoring (Senate Bill 195, (May 12, 2015)

Public Health

• Involve Physicians in State Disaster Preparedness (Interim Testimony, March 29, 2016)
• State Should Prepare for Public Health Emergencies (Interim Testimony, Feb. 10, 2016)
• TPHC: State’s Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies (Interim Testimony, Feb. 10, 2016)
• Physicians to Legislators: Keep Driver Responsibility Program (Interim Testimony, Jan. 27, 2016)
• Investing in Mental Health Services Beneficial, Cost-Effective (Interim Testimony, Jan. 26, 2016) 
• Healthy Aging Needs a Strong Public and Community Health System (Written Testimony on Interim Charge 1 on Aging Texans, Dec. 15, 2015)
• People Will Become Ill From Raw Milk Consumption (House Bill 91, May 25, 2015) 
• Texas Public Health Coalition Says, "Stop Distracted Driving" (House Bill 80, May 7, 2015)
• Bill Would Allow Unapproved Treatments Like Cannabis (Senate Bill 339, April 29, 2015)
• Research Needed to Prove Any Marijuana Medical Benefit (House Bill 837, April 28, 2015)
• Bill Could Change How Physicians Practice, Prescribe (House Bill 3785, April 28, 2015)
• Bill Would Authorize Unapproved Treatments (House Bill 892, April 28, 2015)
• Reach Out and Read Helps Children (House Bill 2741, April 22, 2015)
• Expanding Raw Milk Sales Could Be Unhealthy (House Bill 91, April 21, 2015)
• Preserve Fitnessgram (House Bill 1227, April 21, 2015)
• Establish the Texas Health Improvement Network (House Bill 3781, April 21, 2015)
• Protect Schoolchildren from Life-Threatening Allergic Reactions (House Bill 2847, April 14, 2015)
• Use Current State Pamphlet to Inform About Child Hot Car Dangers (House Bill 2574, March 31, 2015)
• TMA Letter: Let Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force Continue (House Bill 188, March 24, 2015)
• Support, Physicals, Not Mandated Heart Tests for Student Athletes (Senate Bill 767, March 24, 2015)
• Shore Up State's Core Public Health System (Senate Bill 202, March 23, 2015)
• TMA: Continue to Invest In Texas' Public Health Infrastructure (House Bill 2510, March 23, 2015)
• Reduce HPV-Related Cancers (House Bill 1282, March 17, 2015)
• Dr. Bethea: Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Texas Schools Saves Lives (Senate Bill 66, March 12, 2015)
• TMA Supports Texting While Driving Ban (House Bill 80, March 5, 2015)
• Support Funding for Critical DSHS Services (Feb. 18, 2015)
• Invest in Texas’ Public Health Infrastructure (Feb. 19, 2015)
• More Funding Needed to Strengthen Texas Public Health Services (Sept. 25, 2014)
• TMA Explains Why Additional Funding for Preventive Services Saves Lives and Money (June 13, 2014)
• Chip Riggins, MD, MPH Explains Why Texas Needs a Stronger Public Health System (June 25, 2014)  

Immunizations

• Keep Immunization Records Through Age 26 (House Bill 2171, May 22, 2015)
• Don't Toss 18 Year-Olds' Valuable Shot Records (House Bill 2171, March 24, 2015)
• Support Better Reporting of Disease Outbreaks, Vaccine Exemptions (House Bill 2474, March 24, 2015)
• Make State Immunization Registry Opt Out (House Bill 465, March 3, 2015) 

Infectious Diseases  

• Improve Texas' Emergency Response (Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 538, March 5, 2015) 

Mental Health 

• Bill Could Protect Mental Health Patients, Others (Senate Bill 359, March 26, 2015)
• Improve Funding for Mental Health Services (Feb. 19, 2015) 

 Tobacco  

• Require Childproof Packaging for E-cigarettes (Senate Bill 706, April 6, 2015)
• Letter: Regulate E-cigarettes Like Tobacco Products (Senate Bill 1618, March 30, 2015
• TMA Supports Five Bills to Limit Minors' E-cig Access (Five House Bills, March 24, 2015)
• Dr. Bethea: Restrict Access to E-Cigs on School Property (Senate Bill 96, March 12, 2015)
• Regulate E-Cigarettes (House Bill 170 - March 10, 2015)
• TMA Supports Bill to Prohibit E-Cigarettes on School Campuses (House Bill 456, Feb. 24, 2015)
• Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst E-Cigarettes Must be Regulated (Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 97, Feb. 11, 2015) 

 Scope of practice  

• TMB Should License Neurodiagnostic Technicians (CHSB 2978, April 28, 2015)
• Physicians Should Diagnose Physical Therapy Need (House Bill 1263, April 6, 2015)
• Don't Allow Chiropractors to Issue Handicapped Parking Placards (House Bill 126 - March 10, 2015)
• Kim Monday, MD Tells Lawmakers to Protect the Safety of Student Athletes (June 25, 2014)  
• Licensure Should Stay Intact (June 24, 2014)  

Telemedicine  

• Equal Pay for Doctors Using Telemedicine (House Bill 2348, April 8, 2015) 

 Women’s Health  

• CMV Education and Outreach Needed (Senate Bill 791, May 19, 2015)
• Perinatal Advisory Council Bill Will Expand Improvements (House Bill 2304, May 18, 2015)
• Keep Perinatal Advisory Council (House Bill 2304, April 27, 2015)
• Advisory Council Improvements Will Help Mothers, Newborns  (House Bill 3433, April 21, 2015)
• Improve Postpartum Care for Low-Income Women (House Bill 839, April 7, 2015)
• Dr. Van Ramshorst: CMV Education and Outreach Important for Women (Senate Bill 791, March 18, 2014)
• Improve State Agency Worksite Breastfeeding for Women (House Bill 232, March 17, 2015)
• TMA/TPSS Support HB 786 to Improve Worksite Breastfeeding for Public Employees (House Bill 786, March 17, 2015)
• TWHC: Improve Women's Health Care Services (PDF, Feb. 18, 2015)
• Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition Comments: HHSC Sunset (PDF, Oct. 17, 2014)
• TMA Asks Lawmakers to Protect Health Care Funding for Low-Income Women (June 23, 2014)

Workforce

• Allow Interstate Compact for Medical Licensure (House Bill 661, March 10, 2015) 
• The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact: Quick Facts (Senate Bill 190 and House Bill 661)
• Improve Funding for GME (Feb. 16, 2015)
• Curtis Mirkes, MD Explains Why GME Funding is Critical (Feb. 11, 2015)
• State Needs to Address Psychiatric Physicians' Shortage (September 2014)
• Dr. Rodney Young Outlines Why State Must Increase GME Funding (PDF, Aug. 28, 2014)
• TMA Letter: Improve GME Funding (May 12, 2014)

85th Texas Legislature Testimonies and Letters
TMA Legislature main page