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TMA Legislative
News Hotline
Wednesday, March
18, 2009
To ensure our emails reach
your inbox, please add tmainfo@texmed.org to your address book.
Corporate Practice of Medicine Under Discussion
TMA President Josie Williams, MD, is on hand again today to testify before
lawmakers. Two bills before the Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee
would allow rural hospitals to employee physicians - Senate Bill 534 by Sen.
Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) and SB 606 by Sen. Glenn Hegar (R-Katy). Dr.
Williams will explain to the committee that maintaining the physician's
independent medical judgment is critical. It ensures that a patient's
medical needs come before the hospital or governmental entity's business
needs.
Carlos Hernandez, MD, an obstetrics and gynecology physician from Eagle
Pass, will tell committee members that Maverick County's 2005 legislation to
allow its hospital district to hire physicians directly has not been a good
solution. In fact, Maverick County is considering moving from an employment
model to establishing a 501a nonprofit corporation as a means of attracting
physicians to the Eagle Pass area.
Yesterday's Committee Actions
TMA had an action-packed day at the capitol yesterday. Here is the lowdown
on what transpired.
House Public Health Committee
- House Bill 1392, by
Rep. David Leibowitz (D-San Antonio) was left pending. HB 1392 relates
to physician rating and classification programs used by health plans
and insurers. Dr. Williams testified in support of the bill. She told
committee members it would ensure that employers and patients are
making health care decisions about their physicians based on accurate
physician data. The bill also would ensure that the measurement
standards used are reliable, evidence-based, and used consistently
across health plans in the market.
- HB 1310 by Rep. Burt
Solomons (R-Carrollton) relating to the use of a tanning facility by a
minor was left pending. Sharon Raimer, MD, president of the Texas
Dermatological Society, testified in support of the bill on behalf of
TMA.
- HB 1762 by Rep. Myra
Crownover (R-Denton) relating to the confidentiality of newborn
screening information was passed. Charletta Guillory, MD, a
pediatrician from Austin, testified in support of the bill on behalf of
TMA, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP), the Texas Pediatric
Society (TPS), and the March of Dimes.
Senate Health and Human Services
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee took up two
scope-of-practice bills relating to retail health clinics. The good news is
that SB 532 by Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) was approved. Gary Floyd, MD, a
pediatrician from Fort Worth, testified in support of the bill on behalf of
TMA, TAFP, and TPS. Other supporters of the measure include CVS Caremark,
Walgreens, Redi-Clinics, and the Texas Federation of Drug Stores.
The bad bill, SB 680 by Senator Hegar, was left pending. Dr. Floyd
testified on behalf of TMA in opposition to the bill and told committee
members, "Loosening the rules as defined in this bill eliminates
supervision of midlevel care providers, requires no agency oversight,
establishes no formal standards, and is a complete abrogation of the public
trust."
Other bills the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed include
these:
- SB 705 Sen. Jane
Nelson (R-Lewisville) relating to the Medicaid consolidated waiver
program and other Medicaid long-term care waiver programs;
- SB 870 by Sen. Eddie
Lucio Jr., (D-Brownsville) relating to the duties of the interagency
obesity council and the Department of Agriculture in relation to
health, wellness, and prevention of obesity; and
- SB 424 by Leticia Van
de Putte (D-San Antonio) relating to the establishment and
implementation of a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program.
The bill directs the Department of State Health Services and the Texas
Education Agency to conduct a study to evaluate current flu shot
procedures in school districts and to recommend best practices.
Medical Students Lobby for Funding to Rebuild UTMB
Medical students from The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at
Galveston were at the capitol yesterday. They urged lawmakers to support
UTMB funding. State Rep. Craig Eiland (D-Galveston) has filed legislation to
appropriate $255 million for UTMB to cover hurricane-related costs. The
University of Texas regents on March 10 unanimously approved a resolution to restore the
medical school and its facilities to their pre-Hurricane Ike status,
providing the state contributes about $300 million to the project. The rest
of the money would come from UTMB's insurance, funds from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, and donations.
First Tuesdays Coming Soon
Pack your white coat and head to Austin on April 7 to take part in First Tuesdays at the Capitol. Watch
the video to see what you missed in
February. Don't miss the chance next month to meet with lawmakers and their
staff to present medicine's case in person. Medical students and residents
are extended a special invitation to the April event. Students: Look for
details soon on our First Tuesdays video contest. So far, almost 600
physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance members have attended First
Tuesdays at the Capitol. Sign up today. Don't miss the action.
Patients' Right to Know
Coming soon. Stay tuned for more information on how you can get involved
in reforming health insurance.
Physician of the Day
E. David Pampe, MD, a family physician from Austin, is today's physician
of the day. He graduated from The University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston in 1981. He is a member of TMA, AMA, and Travis County Medical
Society. The Physician of the Day program is coordinated by the Texas
Academy of Family Physicians.
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