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Senate Committee Tackles Scope of Practice in Access-to-Care Hearing - 09/20/2024

In a hearing packed with representatives from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, behavioral health, licensing boards, and academia, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee tackled Texas’ health care workforce shortages with the Texas Medical Association delivering its message loud and clear: Expanding scope of practice is not the answer to helping patients in rural and underserved areas.

DSHS Seeks More Funding for Lab, Fighting Maternal Deaths - 09/19/2024

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is asking state lawmakers for new or “exceptional” funding to help the agency tackle several important health concerns facing the state, according to Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD.

TMA Continues Push for Prior Auth Reform Ahead of 2025 Session - 09/17/2024

Three years after the Texas Medical Association spearheaded “gold card” prior authorization exemption legislation, delays and complications with payer approvals continue to adversely affect physicians and patients.

Texas Senate Committee Evaluates Potential AI Legislation - 09/04/2024

As the Texas Legislature considers new regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI) heading into the 2025 session, Texas Medical Association leaders are acting to ensure physicians’ knowledge and decision-making are integrated with the technology and not replaced by it.

State Plan Tackles Mental Health Coverage - 08/09/2024

Four years after the Texas Legislature passed legislation aimed to improve health plan coverage of mental health conditions and substance use disorders, a state workgroup has released a strategic plan to improve compliance with the law’s protections to put coverage of those treatments on par with other types of health care.

May Owen, MD, Outreach Program - 07/23/2024

The May Owen, MD, Outreach Program is a grant program of the TMA Women Physicians Section (TMA WPS) that provides funding to bring female physician oriented programs and activities to small and mid-sized county medical societies.  

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.

TMA Urges Framework for Innovative Coverage, Cancer Prevention to Senate Committee - 05/21/2024

As the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services begins its interim investigation into alternatives to employer-based health insurance and cancer prevention efforts, TMA offered recommendations to ensure patients have access to high-quality care. Read more.

Delegates Emphasize Women’s, Reproductive Health Ahead of Legislative Session - 05/15/2024

Continuing its mission to improve the health of mothers and babies in Texas, along with addressing ongoing sexual health and opioid crises, TMA passed and strengthened policy to shape the association’s advocacy come legislative session.

Texas Senate Interim Charges Underscore TMA Legislative Priorities - 04/29/2024

Scope-of-practice creep and access to mental health care are among the 57 charges Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently issued for Senate committees to study ahead of the 2025 legislative session. The Texas Medical Association’s advocacy for medicine-friendly policy also continues apace during the interim, with the association closely monitoring several of these charges.

TMA Pushes for Prior Authorization Limits, Clarity - 04/16/2024

After hearing story after story of delays and denials, the Texas Medical Association is pushing the Texas Legislature to sign off on measures that would significantly curb insurers’ ability to require prior authorization on needed care, as well as clarify for both physicians and patients what it means when prior authorization is required.

TMA Moment in Time: First Tuesdays at the Capitol - 04/09/2024

TMA’s signature advocacy event offers invaluable facetime with lawmakers.

Postpartum Coverage Extension Brings Payment Complexities - 04/05/2024

As the 12-month postpartum coverage Texas legislature approved took effect March 1, physicians and their practice staff should take note of subsequent payment complexities, Texas Medical Association experts caution.

You Write Scripts? You Better Sign Up With the PMP - 02/28/2024

If you don't yet have a user account set up with the state's prescription monitoring program (PMP), known as PMP Aware, now is a good time to get it done.

New Law Prohibits Employer COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates, With Exceptions - 02/28/2024

Thanks to advocacy by the Texas Medical Association, guardrails for patient safety and practice viability are included in a new state law that prohibits employers, including physician offices and health care facilities, from mandating COVID-19 vaccines among employees.

Grassroots Physician Advocacy Fuels Early TEXPAC Win - 02/16/2024

Looking to build on the victory, TMA’s bipartisan political arm has endorsed a long list of medicine-friendly candidates, informed by local physician support and its own rigorous evaluation process. The Texas primary election is on March 5. Read more.

Governor Approves Bill to Reduce Prior Authorization Hassles - 02/14/2024

Care for countless Texas patients will happen more quickly by reducing health insurers’ bureaucratic delays, thanks to a bill Gov. Greg Abbott allowed to become law this weekend. The Texas Medical Association  prioritized curbing health insurers’ onerous prior authorization practices this legislative session, resulting in passage of House Bill 3459 by Rep. Greg Bonnen, MD (R-Friendswood), and Sen. Dawn Buckingham, MD (R-Lakeway), with considerable support by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound).

Medicaid, CHIP Postpartum Coverage Extension Will Take Effect March 1 - 02/08/2024

After a multi-session advocacy effort by the Texas Medical Association, specialty societies, and women’s health advocates, Texans who are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program and who are pregnant or become pregnant will see their postpartum coverage automatically extended starting March 1.

Patient Care Protected: TMA Secured Big Legislative Wins With a New Strategy - 01/11/2024

Guided by a set of priorities and girded by grassroots physician advocacy, the Texas Medical Association entered the 2023 legislative session with a laser focused approach and came out hitting targets in every area of medicine’s agenda.

Safety in Statute: State Law Guides Violence Prevention in Health Care - 01/05/2024

A new state law guides violence prevention plans in health care.  

Closing the Gap: New Texas Network Adequacy Law Tackles Waivers - 12/04/2023

Although Texas has some of the strongest network adequacy rules in the country, poor enforcement and an overused waiver system have weakened physician practice viability and patients’ access to in-network care; thanks to advocacy by the Texas Medical Association, this will soon change.

First Tuesdays at the Capitol Was a Virtual Success - 11/30/2023

Almost 200 physicians, medical students, and alliance advocates logged on to Zoom for the first-ever virtual First Tuesdays at the Capitol on Tuesday, which featured an in-depth briefing on TMA’s legislative agenda for this session.

TMA, Lawmakers Working to Tackle Telemedicine Parity, Prior Authorization - 11/30/2023

As one of the most unique eras of both living and lawmaking continues, attendees at TMA’s Winter Conference heard about medicine’s legislative agenda in both Austin and Washington, D.C., and how COVID-19 has helped shape this year’s legislative focus.

First Steps: TMA Secures Medicaid Physician Rate Increases With Hopes for Momentum - 11/05/2023

TMA helped secure the first Medicaid physician rate increases in decades in hopes it will build momentum for future gains.

The Power of One Voice: Elisabeth Potter, MD's Advocacy Helped Upend CMS' Plan to End Certain Breast Surgery Coverage - 11/01/2023

Elisabeth Potter, MD’s spirited advocacy helped upend CMS’ plan to eliminate coverage for a preferred breast reconstruction surgery.