Stories from Texas Medicine, September 2025

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Inside the Capitol – Lessons from the 89th Legislative Session - 11/13/2025

TMA Council on Legislation Chair Zeke Silva, MD, offers an inside look at what it was like to operate at the Capitol behind the scenes and on the stage during this year’s session.

Tailored Programming: Upcoming TMA Conferences Meet Physicians Where They Practice - 11/13/2025

Texas Medical Association offers two upcoming conferences that members can attend - Business of Medicine Conference in El Paso in September and Local Medicine Matters in Tyler in October.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Erosions to Medical Liability Reforms Fail - 11/13/2025

Medicine’s work this session to preserve Texas’ landmark medical liability reforms started and ended like legislative sessions past with a perennial attempt to index the landmark 2003 noneconomic damages cap to inflation. But that story had a twist this session in that the vehicle to do so, House Bill 4036, was pushed by a pair of Republicans alongside its typical Democrat contingency.  

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Defeats Concerning Vaccine Bills For Second Session in a Row - 10/02/2025

Two bills that did survive will took effect Sept. 1, one of which imposes a specific informed consent form on physicians.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Amid Bad Insurance Bills Defeated, Gold Card Law Refinements Close Gaps - 09/12/2025

House Bill 3812 addresses some of the shortfalls and inconsistencies among payers in the intended implementation of Texas’ landmark prior authorization exemption law. The law took effect Sept. 1 but additional rulemaking by the Texas Department of Insurance is likely.    

‘This Is the Teach One’: Physician-Led CME Is Rooted in Relevance and Firsthand Experience - 09/10/2025

CME developed and transmitted by TMA undergoes a rigorous vetting process informed by physician input and expertise.

Personalized Pursuit: Word-of-Mouth Recruitment Plays Vital Role in How TMA Grows Membership - 09/10/2025

TMA launches new pilot program that focuses on member physicians recruiting colleagues to join the association.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Texas Medicaid Enrollment, Eligibility Systems Get Modernization Funding - 09/08/2025

The Texas legislature preserved Medicaid allotments that TMA advocated for in the 2023 session, while providing funding to support two important online systems.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Scope Creep Defense Preserves Physician-Led Care, Patient Safety - 09/04/2025

TMA's scope creep defense in the 2025 legislative session included an appeal to Gov. Abbott to veto a bill curtailing the Texas Medical Board.

‘A United Force’: Physicians Answered the Call for Patients, Medicine This Legislative Session - 09/02/2025

The Texas Medical Association remained a powerful force to stand up for patients and the practice of medicine

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Deflects Onerous Reporting Regs for Independent Practices - 09/02/2025

Far-reaching health care consolidation legislation littered with unintended consequences and laden with potential financial and civil penalties for uncomplicated business transactions was defeated by TMA advocacy.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Life of the Mother Act Provides Clarity Around Medical Emergency Exception for Pregnant Patients - 09/02/2025

TMA was heavily involved in advocating and refining Senate Bill 31, the Life of the Mother Act, to bring much-needed clarity to physicians regarding the medical emergency exception to the state's abortion prohibition.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: New Technology Laws Take Effect Sept. 1 - 09/02/2025

TMA took a physician-led approach this session to legislation related to health information technology, safeguarding medicine from would-be detriments, including unchecked use of artificial intelligence by payers and unintended consequences stemming from federal law.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Texas Physician Workforce Gets Budget Boost - 09/02/2025

Proven avenues to expand Texas’ physician workforce – via funding secured for undergraduate and graduate medical education (GME), loan repayment, and rural training programs, as well as supporting TMB’s efforts to process licenses for physicians moving to Texas from other

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Helps Craft Balanced Noncompete Compromise - 09/02/2025

TMA helps strike a balance on noncompete agreements between employer and employee members that reconciles the priorities of each contingent without being overly restrictive to either.