Page 6 - 2023-Mar-Apr-Journal

from
the President

Horizons

f you ever want to expand your from challenging to overwhelming. healthcare system.
horizons, climb Emory Peak in These include everything from This year our TMA Council on
IBig Bend National Park. The medically unnecessary prior Legislation has established ten priorities
journey alone from Austin to the authorization for insurance for the 2023 legislative session:
southwest of Texas will inspire awe. companies to political interference 1. Scope of Practice/GME
Once you’ve caught your breath from in the patient/physician relationship Funding
the steep ascent and eased the and more. When I find myself 2. Women’s Reproductive Health
backpack off your aching shoulders, putting one foot in front of the other 3. Medicaid Rate Increases
the view will blow your mind! It’s a just trying to do right by my patients, 4. Enhanced Coverage for
truly magnificent sight overlooking these challenges can feel like being Women and Children on
the ancient volcanically formed trapped with no relief in sight. That’s Medicaid
Chisos Basin, and on a clear day you precisely when I need to expand my 5. Protection of Tort Reform
can see the Chihuahuan Desert and horizon, join with my colleagues, and 6. Physician Autonomy/
the entire Chisos Mountain Range. climb that mountain together. Corporate Practice Protections
Our state is huge! Breathtaking as This is also where organized 7. Prior Authorization
it is, while the horizon you can see medicine is so effective. The Travis 8. Protect Vaccine Laws/
from 7,825’ elevation may seem County Medical Society, working Modernization of ImmTrac
like infinitude, you still know it together with the Texas Medical 9. Network Adequacy and
represents only a sliver of the enormity Association, ensures that all of us Protecting the Texas Surprise
of Texas. have a voice as advocates for our Billing Law
Texas is as diverse as it is large patients. We may have different 10. Regulation and Taxing
and not just geographically and political and cultural leanings, but E-Cigarettes
geologically. Our state is also diverse when we come together, it becomes At a recent evening reception for
economically, socially, culturally, readily apparent that we are all local legislators sponsored by TCMS
and racially. While this diversity is passionate about providing the and the Alliance, our members
educationally enriching, it can also highest level of ethical care. had the opportunity to share their
make providing equitable health care In a recent TCMS Business of thoughts and provide examples of
challenging. As physicians, our north Medicine webinar, we heard from our how each of these priorities impact
star is our oath. Our commitment is TMA colleagues about how much the patient care. I was encouraged by
to provide quality health care Legislature respects and values our how engaged the legislators were
to all our patients equally and opinions as physicians, knowledgeable and by their thoughtful questions.
equitably. But the external limitations experts on the health care needs of For example, they were sensitive to
and non-medical requirements our patients and their constituents. the very real burnout our profession
imposed on physicians and on our We represent a trusted resource that has experienced and were open to
healthcare delivery system are both witnesses and experiences ideas on how to improve our work
frustrating and can easily morph the best and the worst of our environment. They seemed generally

6 2023 March • April TCMS