TMA Legislative News Hotline

Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009

Governor Perry Unveils Legislative Priorities
Gov. Rick Perry will unveil his budget priorities and legislative agenda at his State of the State address this morning. We have it from a good source that Governor Perry will take a forceful stand on several issues important to medicine. Details coming tomorrow.

Texas House to Debate Rules
Yesterday, Rep. Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton) filed the proposed new rules for the Texas House. He was charged with writing up the first draft. The most significant change called for five fewer House committees. Instead of the previous 40 committees, the rules recommend 35. The committees would be merged as follows:

Government Reform would be combined with State Affairs,

Judiciary would merge into Civil Jurisprudence,

Law Enforcement would be folded into Criminal Jurisprudence and Law Enforcement,

Local Government Ways and Means would merge with Ways and Means,

Pensions and Investments would fuse with Financial Services and Pensions, and

Regulated Industries would be eliminated and its duties spread over five committees.

One new committee also was proposed - Technology and Workforce Training. Stay tuned.

Call Congress on Physician Ownership in CHIP Reauthorization
The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reauthorization bill moving through Congress now contains a real poison pill. As passed by the House, HR 2 would place very tight restrictions on physician ownership of hospitals and health care facilities. The Senate draft of the bill does not include those provisions.

Please contact your representative and our senators today with this message:

Yes, reauthorize and expand CHIP. It's a great program for hundreds of thousands of poor children in Texas.

At a minimum, place no new restrictions on physician-owned hospitals already operating.

At a minimum, place no new limitations on physician-owned hospitals under construction.

For talking points and an easy way to reach your representative and Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, please see the TMA Grassroots Action Center.

TMA Legislative Priority: Regulation of Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)
Currently the discounted rates physicians negotiate with health plans are being hijacked by unregulated PPOs. These entities, called "silent" and "rental" PPOs, shop around to find the lowest rate a physician has agreed to with any health plan. Then the PPO sells, resells, or leases that discounted rate to insurance companies, discount brokers, and other unregulated health care businesses without the physician's knowledge or permission. Fourteen states outlaw these arrangements. Texas should, too.

See all of TMA's legislative issue briefs in the Governmental Affairs section of the TMA Web site.

Are You Coming to Austin?
Be sure to sign up for First Tuesdays at the Capitol on Feb. 3. Don't miss the chance to meet with lawmakers and their staff and present medicine's case in person. Hundreds of physicians in the galleries and hearing rooms have a powerful impact on the Texas Legislature. Plus, organized medicine has a packed legislative agenda, which lawmakers need to fully understand. Sign up today.

Learn more about TMA's priority issues for the 81th Texas Legislature.

Physicians of the Day
The physician of the day at the Capitol is Sandra Parker, M.D. of Fort Worth. Dr. Parker graduated from University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1999. She is a member of TMA and Tarrant County Medical Society.

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