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Texas Delegation Joins Push to Protect Medicine at AMA Annual Conference - 06/25/2025

Medicare payment reform, federal Medicaid sustainability, and vaccination education and safety highlighted the robust debates Texas physicians engaged on during a strong showing at the American Medical Association annual conference alongside hundreds of their peers.

Now is the Time: Texas Delegates to AMA Make a Strong Push for Fixing What Ails Medicare - 06/23/2025

Texas Medical Association members made their voices heard at the American Medical Association’s three-day National Advocacy Conference (NAC), Feb. 10-12, 2025, calling for a long-term Medicare payment fix.

Risk Management - 03/20/2025

Practice e-Tips on Risk Management

Practice E-Tips on Legal Topics - 03/17/2025

TMA Practice E-Tips on Legal Topics

Touting Texas: David N. Henkes, MD, Championed the State’s Physicians in His 25 Years on the Delegation to the AMA - 03/10/2025

David N. Henkes, MD, recalls his first American Medical Association meeting in San Francisco as a new member of the Texas Delegation to the AMA. The November 2001 conference was, in a word, “overwhelming.”

Texas Influences a Dozen AMA Policies - 03/06/2025

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.

More Than One in Five Claims Denied in Texas by Non-Group Qualified Health Plans - 02/11/2025

A study of health plans available through HealthCare.gov in 2023 shows one in five claims nationwide were denied – with Texas ranking among the top five states for in-network denials.

Texas Influences Policy at AMA House of Delegates - 12/05/2024

Physician representatives of the Texas Medical Association last week took their expertise to an American Medical Association House of Delegates meeting punctuated this year by passionate discussions on scope of practice, health plan practices, COVID-19, telemedicine, diversity in medicine, and more.

AMA Board Chair Calls on Texas to Help Secure Medicare Fix, Restore Physician Autonomy - 12/04/2024

Attendees of Texas Medical Association’s second Business of Medicine Conference heard a host of economic hurdles to physicians, but underscoring them all is the decades-long trend of decreasing Medicare physician payment, according to the American Medical Association’s Board of Trustees Chair Michael Suk, MD.

AMA President-Elect Acclaims TMA Advocacy for Scope, Prior Auth Wins - 12/04/2024

Texas physicians’ advocacy accomplishments both in the state and alongside the American Medical Association earned praise from AMA’s president-elect at the Texas Medical Association’s Leadership Summit on Jan. 27.

CMS Working to Improve Enrollment in ACA Marketplace Health Plans - 11/18/2024

More federal resources will be available next year to help uninsured Texans gain access to health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said last week.

TMA Considers Next Steps in Split Victory Over Payment Calculations in Surprise-Billing Arbitrations - 11/15/2024

After winning half the battle when the federal government dropped its appeal of two major components of the Texas Medical Association’s lawsuit early on, TMA is considering next steps after an appeals court upheld a portion of federal rules governing qualifying payment amount calculations in surprise-billing disputes that medicine says conflict with federal law and unfairly favor health plans.

Reform Can’t Wait: Medicine Prescribes Urgently-Needed Improvements to Flawed Medicare Payment System - 11/13/2024

When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in July proposed a fifth consecutive round of cuts to physicians’ Medicare payments – contributing to a nearly 30% lag behind inflation growth since 2001 – medicine immediately mobilized.

High Court Decision Brings Favorable Wind for Physician Experts - 11/04/2024

The Texas Supreme Court has sided with the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association – and by extension, with medicine – in a case that impacts physicians who testify as expert witnesses in their own defense.

With FTC Rule in Limbo, Texas Legislature to Reconsider Noncompetes - 09/20/2024

Amid a pair of conflicting court rulings – one of which blocked a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) final rule banning most noncompete clauses – the Texas Senate is pondering related legislation for the upcoming session that could impact a significant number of physicians statewide.

John Zerwas, MD, Honored for Service as Texas Lawmaker - 09/19/2024

The American Medical Association on Tuesday awarded former Texas State Rep. John Zerwas, MD, its Dr. Nathan Award for Outstanding Government Service.

TMA Wins Appeal Upholding Its Challenge to Skewed Federal Surprise Billing Rule - 08/05/2024

A federal appeals court handed a victory to medicine affirming the district court’s decision to strike down federal provisions that run counter to Congress' intent for implementing a key piece of the No Surprises Act: to operate an arbitration process that does not skew dispute resolutions and unfairly advantage health plans. Read more.

Texas' Voice: Delegation Shapes AMA Policy, But Could Have Greater Impact - 07/10/2024

Through its delegation, TMA shapes AMA policy – but its impact could be greater   

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.

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.

TMB Proposed Rules on Abortion Ban Exceptions Invite TMA Opposition - 05/14/2024

The Texas Medical Board (TMB) recently released proposed rules intended to clarify exceptions to the state’s overlapping abortion laws. But TMA argues the proposal could exacerbate physician confusion, administrative burden on practices, and patient care delays. Read more.

Seeking Balance: TMA Opposes Feds' Implementation of the No Surprises Act - 04/09/2024

The Texas Medical Association supported the patient protections in the federal No Surprises Act but also knew from the beginning that the law's payment arbitration provisions were flawed and could give insurers an advantage.

RICO Settlements: TMA's Leadership Against Payer Abuses Resulted in Relief, Reform - 04/09/2024

Back in 2001, the Texas Medical Association and the other plaintiffs alleged the nation’s major health plans had conspired to delay and reduce payments to clinicians and hospitals; the resulting lawsuits, brought under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), represented a watershed moment in TMA history.

TMA Moment in Time: AMA Presidents - 04/09/2024

Texas' git-er-done approach has launched TMA physicians to the AMA presidency.

Exceptional Circumstances: TMA Advocates “Legislative Clarity” Amid State Abortion Bans - 03/05/2024

TMA advocates “legislative clarity” amid state abortion bans.