The American Medical Association adopted new policy language directing a comprehensive advocacy campaign for Medicare payment reform at its Annual Meeting of House Delegates in Chicago on June 14th. The new language was largely informed by a resolution authored by the Texas Medical Association and an advocacy push spearheaded by its new president, … Read more
In this conversation with the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA) new president, Dr. Rick Snyder, the cardiologist from Dallas offers his insights on the issues impacting physicians in the state and his vision for how to solve them. TMA is spearheading national advocacy for Medicare payment reforms. The organization has successfully litigated against CMS in two … Read more
Senate Bill 1700, which would expand the authority of advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) to allow them to independently provide primary care services without the supervision of a physician, has been sitting in the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee awaiting action since mid-March. Advocates for the bill, referred to as the … Read more
Following a recent US District Court ruling on the federal government’s arbitration process for disputed medical billing—making the protocol for issuing decisions on disputed claims unclear—CMS posted some clarifying guidance on processing payment determinations to providers on Friday. The Texas Medical Association (TMA) filed a lawsuit against the departments of Health and Human … Read more
The Texas Primary Care Consortium (TPCC) outlined its 2023 policy priorities during a virtual presentation on Thursday, placing legislative efforts around maternal healthcare, Medicaid modernization, and transition to value-based payments at the forefront. Led by the Texas Medical Home Initiative and the Texas Health Institute (THI), TPCC is a statewide, collaborative initiative with … Read more
This edition of “5 Things We’re Watching” in Texas includes coverage of HHSC’s work to prepare for Medicaid redeterminations, an update on the Texas Medical Association’s ongoing litigation against the federal government over how to resolve disputed medical claims, and a conversation with Texas Association of Health Plans’ Jamie Dudensing about the top-of-mind priorities for … Read more
US District Court Judge Jeremy Kernodle ruled in favor of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) on Monday in its case against the federal government over the arbitration process for resolving out-of-network medical billing disputes between providers and payers. TMA’s suit against the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury filed … Read more
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit in US District Court challenging a 600% increase in administrative fees related to the federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process for out-of-network medical claims. Federal agencies announced last month the fee would increase from $50 to $350 beginning in … Read more
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) said its top priorities this legislative session are issues around scope-of-practice and women’s reproductive health. As part of its interim report for the current session, the House Select Committee of Health Care Reform (HSCHCR) recommended increased funding for medical education and workforce development to expand the supply of … Read more
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released updated final rules on Friday related to the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process between payers and providers concerning surprise billing, required under the No Surprises Act (NSA). The new rules require arbiters to consider both an insurer’s median contracted in-network rate and additional … Read more