TMA’sTexas Medicine Magazine Details Changes
Aug.14, 2017
The landscape of Texas medicine is
about to change as new laws take effect on September 1. The August issue of Texas Medicine magazine analyzes the new laws important to
patients and physicians in its 85th Legislative session summary.
Here are the highlights:
Balance-Billing Mediation
“Building Better Policies: Balance-Billing, Step Therapy Measures
Highlight Insurance Wins for Medicine”
New insurance-related laws
will dramatically change the billing process for Texas patients and physicians,
and the mediation process of those bills. Senate Bill 507 expands the billing
mediation process to all physicians and other out-of-network practitioners at
certain in-network facilities to help reduce patients' issues when they receive
a bill their health insurance will not pay. SB 507 also expands mediation to
out-of-network emergency care.
Step-Therapy Protocol
Senate Bill 680 allows physicians to
override insurance plans' protocols regarding changes in medication, known as
step therapy. Currently an insurance company can deny a physician’s medication
prescription that best meets the patient’s need in favor of the plan’s
scheduled medication. Texas Medicine
explains how this law allows physicians to prescribe the medicine they believe
is best for the patient.
Mental Health
“Thinking Big: The Texas Legislature Made
Huge Strides in Improving Mental Health”
The
state budget for mental health care services gets a boost in a year when many
other services saw cuts. Texas Medicine reviews
House Bill 10,
which improves access to mental health care by making mental health insurance
benefits no less restrictive than general medical benefits. Senate Bill 1929 identifies and reduces the causes of
maternal mortality and postpartum depression. Meanwhile, the legislature
passed House Bill 14 to close a legal loophole that allowed gun owners to carry
their weapons at state mental health facilities.
Public Health
“Public Health's Lean Year: Texting Ban, Zika Measure Highlight This
Year's Legislative Victories”
A year-long
public health battle ends as Gov. Greg Abbott signs legislation that bans
texting while driving. The legislature
also passed a bill providing resources to the Texas Department of State Health
Services (DSHS) to track, study, and prevent the spread of Zika, West Nile, and
other diseases. Lawmakers also passed a bill creating a plan to combat strep
pneumonia.
Telemedicine
“Clearer and Simpler: TMA-Supported Bill Clarifies Murkiness Surrounding
Telemedicine”
Texas now has a clear
statutory definition for telemedicine which clarifies that the standard of care
for telemedicine is the same as a traditional, in-person doctor visit. Gov.
Abbott signed
Senate Bill 1107 by Sen.
Charles Schwertner, MD, ending more than a decade of squabbling among
telemedicine stakeholders.
Maintenance of Certification
“Lessening the Grip: Texas
Lawmakers Dramatically Scale Back MOC Requirements”
A new law
lifts the burden of certification on Texas doctors and bars the Texas Medical
Board from using maintenance of certification (MOC) as a requirement for
physicians to obtain or renew their medical license. In most cases, hospitals
and health plans are also prohibited from differentiating between physicians
who have undergone MOC and those who haven't, for the purposes of workforce
selection, payment, contracting, or credentialing.
Please visit Texas Medicine on the TMA website for these additional articles:
1.
Investing in Education:
Legislators Back More Doctors for Texas
2.
Funding Cancer Research:
Lawmakers Extend CPRIT's Life Span
3.
Key Bills for Medicine
TMA is the largest state medical
society in the nation, representing more than 50,000 physician and medical
student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical
societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the
health of all Texans.
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Contact: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Marcus Cooper (512)
370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org
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