April 27, 2023
Statement by Texas Medical Association (TMA) President-Elect Rick Snyder, MD, in response to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee hearing Wednesday on transparency and competition in health care.
“The Texas Medical Association physicians urge Congress to support increased competition, transparency, and choice in our health care system, which the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health discussed Wednesday.
“TMA commends the subcommittee for hearing the bill and for supporting legislative initiatives to achieve increased competition, transparency, and choice in health care.
“Medicare patients and people with disabilities need a physician in charge of their care, but the method used to pay physicians doesn't work and hasn't for years. Every year, physicians face a payment decrease from Medicare while nonphysician health care systems realize payment increases.
“Texas physicians are heartened by the subcommittee's effort to fix this broken system. It is essential Congress take steps to pay physicians for the care they provide to vulnerable patients at the same rate as health care entities like hospital outpatient clinics when they are performing the exact same service.
“TMA also is grateful for the subcommittee’s action to lift the ban on physician-owned hospitals, which has crippled patient access to timely and affordable care.
“These important actions would allow more physicians to treat Medicare patients today and into the future.
“Texas physicians support legislation that stands up for physician-led health care – giving patients lower costs, higher quality, and more choice in their care.”
TMA is the largest state
medical society in the nation, representing more than 57,000 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.
Contact:
Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; brent.annear@texmed.org
Swathi Narayanan (512) 370-1382; swathi.narayanan@texmed.org
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