• TMA Statement: Medicare “Doc Fix” Fixes Nothing ◄ ▼
    Statement by C. Bruce Malone, MD, TMA's president, about Congress’ latest patch to stave off the current 27.4-percent Medicare cut until the end of 2012, instead of implementing a permanent solution.

    TMA, Cancer Society, Church Participate in Cancer Study ◄ ▼
    Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3).

    Acceso a médicos a través de Medicare en peligro ◄ ▼
    La salud de más de 3 millones de adultos mayores de Texas se encuentra en peligro nuevamente. Si el Congreso no toma medidas urgentemente, los pacientes de Medicare podrían perder el acceso a los médicos que conocen y confían.

    Seniors Face Medicare Meltdown, Again ◄ ▼
    The health of more than 3 million Texas seniors is in jeopardy, again. If Congress doesn’t take action, Medicare patients could lose access to the doctors they know and trust.

    TMA, ACS, Local Church Join National Cancer Study ◄ ▼

    News conference: TMA, the American Cancer Society, and St. David’s Episcopal Church are unveiling a historic cancer prevention study that could change the face of cancer for future generations. Local residents can enroll in the study with help from St. David’s Episcopal Church and TMA during select dates in February and March.


    TMAF Honors Medical Program, Clinics for Serving Patients ◄ ▼

    The Texas Medical Association Foundation (TMAF) has presented its 2012 John P. McGovern Champion of Health and Secondary Award to two Texas programs aimed at serving uninsured and underinsured patients.


    Judge Backs TMA on Patient Safety Issue ◄ ▼
    State District Judge Rhonda Hurley signed her final judgment in favor of the Texas Medical Association and the patients it works to protect Monday. The judgment invalidates the Texas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ (TBCE) vestibular testing rule by declaring the test is beyond chiropractors’ lawful scope of chiropractic

    Doctors Angry as Medicare Meltdown Looms ◄ ▼
    In 30 days, physician Medicare payments could drop below the cost of providing care. Doctors have no choice but to consider limiting the number of Medicare patients they see. No doctor wants that to happen. Medicare patients and military families deserve better.

    Doctors Advise: Getting a New Bike? Add a New Helmet ◄ ▼
    If you are buying your child a new bike this holiday season, throw in a new helmet too, suggest Texas Medical Association (TMA) physicians. Your child’s old helmet or a sibling’s hand-me-down helmet may not provide the head protection needed, and could be dangerous to your child’s safety.

    Texas Legislators to Receive Friends of Medicine Award ◄ ▼
    The Texas Medical Association (TMA) will honor 15 Texas legislators this evening for their relentless energy, dedication, and steady leadership on behalf of Texas’ patients and physicians.

    State Medical Society Named a “Top Workplace” ◄ ▼
    The Texas Medical Association (TMA) has been named a “Top Workplace” for 2011 by the Austin American-Statesman.

    Congress Heads Home With a Lump of Coal for Medicare Patients ◄ ▼
    Congress’ failure to pass legislation stopping a 27.4-percent cut to physician’s Medicare payments threatens access to care for millions of Medicare patients and military families on TRICARE.

    TMA Prepares Young Physicians to Become Effective Leaders ◄ ▼
    “Patients have always looked to their physicians for guidance,” says Texas Medical Association President C. Bruce Malone, MD. That’s why TMA developed the TMA Leadership College, whose second class has been named.

    State Medical Society Walks the “Get Healthy” Walk ◄ ▼

    TMA and TMA Insurance Trust (TMAIT) have embraced a worksite wellness program called Get FIT to improve health and fitness. Employees hit the gym together weekly, and collectively they have shed more than 368 pounds since last year.


    Will Congress Deny Health Care to Military Families? ◄ ▼
    The families of our nation’s military could lose their doctors. As America celebrates Veterans Day, veteran and medical groups are asking Congress to protect military families’ ability to see a physician when they need to.

    Physicians Protect Patients From Eating Contaminated Food ◄ ▼
    Outbreaks of people getting sick from eating contaminated food regularly make news. Physicians often are the first to detect the problem. They protect patients and the community by watching for and reporting suspected food-borne illnesses, and a new Texas law aims to speed their discovery as well.

    “Doom” Discussion to Headline Physicians’ Conference ◄ ▼

    2011 Texas Medical Association Fall Conference in Austin, featuring presentations on how to navigate the new health care law, accountable care organizations, and myriad regulatory changes facing physicians. TMA also will recognize a beloved past president and bestow Texas medicine’s highest honor.


    TMA Seeks Minority Medical Student Applicants for Scholarships ◄ ▼
    Each year TMA awards $5,000 scholarships to outstanding minority students entering each of Texas’ nine medical schools. TMA encourages Hispanic, African-American, and Native American students entering medical school in the fall of 2012 to apply by the Jan. 9 deadline for the next round of scholarships.

    Medicare Meltdown Forces Physicians Out of Medicare ◄ ▼
    Seniors, military families, and Texans with disabilities who rely on Medicare as their health insurance are at serious risk of losing their doctor. A new TMA survey indicates that 50 percent of Texas physicians are considering opting out of the Medicare program altogether.

    TMA Unveils “Don’t Spit on the Sidewalk” Public Health Exhibit ◄ ▼
    The Texas Medical Association (TMA) unveils its new History of Medicine exhibit, “Don’t Spit on the Sidewalk.”

    Get a Flu Shot Now, Say Physicians ◄ ▼
    As flu season approaches, Texas Medical Association (TMA) physicians want to remind Texans to get vaccinated against this potentially serious, even fatal illness. For patients who are needle-phobic, there are new ways to get vaccinated.

    Texas Patients to Benefit From New Health Laws ◄ ▼
    The health of all Texans will improve due to several new laws passed this year. Starting Sept. 1, patients will receive protection from new rules governing medical matters from student athletic concussions to health insurance policies to the physician workforce.

    Prescription Drug Shortages Threaten Patient Care ◄ ▼
    A record shortage of prescription medications threatens patients with complications and even death if they receive a less-effective alternative medication or the wrong dosage of a substitute drug, or have to go without the drug altogether.

    Law Aims to Lessen Harm From Student-Athlete Concussions ◄ ▼
    A new law aims to keep students safer from concussions as they hit the playing field this school year.

    TMA Announces Anson Jones, MD, Award Media Winners ◄ ▼
    Top health care news stories and series highlight the 2011 winners in the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) Anson Jones, MD, Awards for media excellence.

    TMA Physicians, Families Give 100,000 Helmets to Children ◄ ▼
    More than 100,000 children are riding Texas streets more safely, thanks to bicycle helmets Texas Medical Association (TMA) physicians and families have given them. TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads program gave out its 100,000th helmet to a child in May.

    Physicians’ Heat Advisory: Play it Safe ◄ ▼
    Relentless record-breaking temperatures spell bad news for student athletes as they gear up for practice under Texas’ sizzling summer sun. Texas Medical Association (TMA) physicians urge athletes and coaches to play it safe during the current severe heat wave. They caution that overexposure to heat can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, a potentially deadly illness that can occur when a person’s body temperature rises over 105°F.

    Texas College Students’ First Mandatory Test: Get Meningitis Vaccine ◄ ▼
    As Texas students prepare for college, it’s critical they get vaccinated against meningococcal disease — more commonly called bacterial meningitis, says Donald Murphey, MD, a Fort Worth infectious disease specialist and advocate for TMA’s Be Wise — ImmunizeSM vaccine program.

    TMA Asks CMS to Delay E-Prescription Deadline ◄ ▼
    TMA today urged the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services CMS to push back its fast-approaching deadline for physicians to report they have prescribed medications electronically or be penalized. The unreasonable deadline is causing serious problems for Texas physicians and their patients.

    Study: Texas Physicians’ Practices Are Huge Economic Shot in the Arm ◄ ▼
    Physicians’ medical practices have a tremendous positive impact on Texas’ economy, according to a new study commissioned by TMA and AMA.

    Texas Physician Leaders Elected to AMA Positions ◄ ▼
    The American Medical Association (AMA) has elected three Texas Medical Association (TMA) physicians to AMA leadership positions. AMA elected the Texans during its annual policymaking meeting taking place this week in Chicago.

    Texas Physicians Urge Governor to Protect Babies ◄ ▼
    TMA physicians are calling on Gov. Rick Perry to sign new legislation aimed at protecting the tiniest among us from a deadly disease. House Bill 3336 requires doctors and other health care providers to give mothers of newborns information on pertussis before they leave the hospital, including the recommendation that they get the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine just after the baby is born.

    Texas Physicians Urge Governor to Sign Medical Board Changes ◄ ▼
    The TMA president today urged Gov. Rick Perry to sign three significant bills that reform how the Texas Medical Board handles complaints against physicians.

    Doctors Urge Governor to Sign Meningitis Bill ◄ ▼
    Texas physicians are urging Gov. Rick Perry to protect Texas college students on and off campus against a potential killer, by signing new legislation that may protect college students from meningococcal disease, which strikes teenagers and young adults living in close quarters.

    Austin Physician Elected TMA’s 146th President ◄ ▼
    The Texas Medical Association (TMA) elected C. Bruce Malone, MD, of Austin, its 146th president. TMA’s House of Delegates, the association’s policymaking body, elected Dr. Malone leader of the nation’s largest state medical society during its annual meeting this week in Houston.

    Houston Physician Named TMA President-Elect ◄ ▼

    The Texas Medical Association (TMA) has elected Michael E. Speer, MD, of Houston president-elect of the association, the nation’s largest state medical society. TMA’s House of Delegates, the association’s governing body, elected Dr. Speer during TexMed, the group’s annual conference, held this week in Houston.


    San Antonio Physician Tagged TMA’s “Young at Heart” ◄ ▼
    The Young Physician Section of the Texas Medical Association presented William W. Hinchey, MD, of San Antonio its Young at Heart Award during TexMed 2011, TMA’s annual conference.

    Measles – a Once-Forgotten Disease – is Back ◄ ▼
    Measles, commonly regarded as a disease of the past, is back. Vaccines have done such a great job of eradicating the measles here that some people no longer fear the disease. But TMA physicians see an increase in cases, and recommend vaccine vigilance.

    New Law Helps Patients in Rural Texas ◄ ▼
    The state’s largest physician organization urged Gov. Rick Perry to sign a bill, passed by the Texas House today, that will help rural communities recruit physicians.

    TMA to Give Away More Than 2,000 Bicycle Helmets to Texas Children in May ◄ ▼
    To protect children from head injuries and encourage fitness, the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) Hard Hats for Little Heads program will give away more than 2,000 bicycle helmets in May, which is Bike Month.

    Broader Raw Milk Sales a Sour Idea, Physicians Say ◄ ▼
    Is raw milk bad milk? Drinking raw, unpasteurized milk can make you sick, or even kill you, physicians say. But Texans with permits could sell raw milk or raw milk products directly to consumers at their home or food markets or farmers markets, in a bill up for debate in the Texas House of Representatives’ Public Health Committee today.

    Texas Physician Kicks Off New National Interview Series ◄ ▼
    Sidney Ontai, MD, MBA, a Plainview, Texas, family physician and physician leader with the Texas Medical Association (TMA), is the first featured doctor in a new national radio franchise premiering this week.

    TMA Supports Vaccination Bill to Protect Patients ◄ ▼
    Texas Medical Association TMA physicians are voicing support for a bill that would call for health care workers in facilities like hospitals to be vaccinated against communicable diseases.

    Doctors in White Coats Headed to Austin to Lobby for Patients ◄ ▼
    More than 350 physicians and medical students from across the state are headed to Austin for the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) First Tuesdays at the Capitol.

    TMA Statement: Steep Cuts in House Budget. Steep Price to Pay ◄ ▼
    Statement by TMA president Susan R. Bailey, MD, about the Texas House of Representatives’ budget proposals being considered this week.

    TMA Survey: Physicians Confused and Anxious ◄ ▼
    More than ever before, physicians are confused and anxious about their profession, and believe the health care system continues to be broken, according to a new survey by TMA.

    Retracted Autism Study Spreads Fear and Preventable Disease ◄ ▼

    A study attempting to link autism to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, though ultimately retracted and now alleged to be fraudulent, is lowering immunization rates and increasing the prevalence of vaccine-preventable diseases, explains TMA's Texas Medicine magazine.


    Doctors Say: Get a Tdap Shot ◄ ▼
    To help protect adults and infants from whooping cough, TMA physician leaders urge adult patients to get vaccinated with the combined tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine... and now adults over age 65 who care for an infant or plan to be around one should get the Tdap shot too. This follows updated recommendations by the national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

    Save Money, Save Lives ◄ ▼
    As the state of Texas faces a huge budget crisis and the people of Texas face a huge health crisis, the Texas Public Health Coalition (TPHC) today offered solutions for both.

    TMA Honors Cancer Outreach Program for Serving Uninsured Patients ◄ ▼
    TMAF has presented its 2011 John P. McGovern Champion of Health Award to the Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” Program of Beaumont, and secondary awards to The University of Texas Medical Branch's Community Health Program and St. Vincent’s Student-Run Free Clinic.

    Physicians Learn About Texas Legislature, Health Reform and Social Media ◄ ▼
    2011 Texas Medical Association (TMA) Winter Conference in Austin, featuring presentations by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott; American Medical Association (AMA) President Cecil Wilson, MD; and nationally-renowned medical blogger “KevinMD” — Kevin Pho, MD.

    Texas Physicians to Patients: Quit Smoking in 2011 ◄ ▼
    Smoking is, without a doubt, unhealthy, and new evidence reinforces that fact. Now it’s more important than ever for smokers to make quitting smoking a top goal in 2011, TMA physician leaders say.

    It’s Not Too Late to Get Your Flu Shot ◄ ▼
    If you didn’t get your flu shot in October, it’s not too late. In fact, getting vaccinated for the flu is just as effective whether you get the shot in November, December, or even January. That’s good news for flu shot procrastinators.

    Congress Stops Medicare Meltdown, For Now ◄ ▼
    Statement by Susan Rudd Bailey, MD, TMA president, in regard to Congress’ passage of HR 4994, the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010.

    Two Largest Patient-Advocacy Groups Unite to Save Medicare ◄ ▼
    Today, the nation’s largest state medical society and one of the largest patient-advocacy groups united to stop the Medicare Meltdown. This is the first time these two immense patient-advocacy groups have joined forces to ensure Texas’ 3 million Medicare patients receive the care promised by the U.S. government.

    TMA to Ask for AMA Policy Improvements for Patients ◄ ▼

    More than 100 TMA physicians and medical students are attending AMA's annual fall policymaking meeting, at which they'll ask the national body to adopt policy that would lessen patients’ burden from medical debt, and to report where graduating medical students complete their residencies and take root as practicing physicians.


    Texas Physicians: Law Won't Lower Cost or Improve Care ◄ ▼
    Texas physicians forecast higher health care costs and lower quality under America's new health reform law, according to a new Texas Medical Association (TMA) physician survey .

    Texas Medical Residents Forced to Leave the State ◄ ▼

    Texas medical school graduates hoping to find their dream training position increasingly are settling for positions outside the state as medical residency slots in Texas continue to shrink, explains Texas Medicine magazine, TMA's official publication.


    Pill Mill Bill Requires State Certification by Sept. 1 ◄ ▼
    Texans seeking pain relief soon can take comfort from a new state law requiring pain management clinics to be certified by the Texas Medical Board (TMB) by Sept. 1.

    Medicare Meltdown a Reality in Texas ◄ ▼
    For Immediate ReleaseOct. 11, 2010 Contact Pam Udall phone (512) 370 1382cell (512) 413 6807 Brent Annearphone (512) 370 1381cell (512) 656 7320

    Alexander Rejoins Texas Medical Association’s Legislative Affairs Team ◄ ▼
    Troy Alexander has rejoined the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) legislative affairs staff, as associate director.

    Texas Physicians Convene to Tackle Medicine’s Top Issues ◄ ▼
    More than one thousand physician leaders and health care experts will convene in Houston for TexMed 2011 — TMA’s annual conference.

    TMA Honors Arlington Surgeon With Distinguished Service Award ◄ ▼
    As a kid apprentice for the doctor next door to his father’s dry cleaning shop in tiny 1952 Alpine, Texas, little did Bohn D. Allen imagine he would one day receive Texas’ highest physician honor; yet today TMA celebrated Dr. Allen, a longtime Arlington surgeon, as the 2011 Distinguished Service Award recipient.