wanted the power to hire physicians, raising questions whether their true al- legiance is to quality care or profit; poli- ticians who wanted to balance the state budget on the backs of physicians and their most vulnerable patients; and a federal government prepared to impose a new claims-coding system that would force physicians to spend thousands of dollars on new technology and at the same time cut Medicare fees. And, of course, there were the most
usual suspects of all — the nonphysi- cians who want to act like physicians without going through the rigorous med- ical school training you endured to earn the right to call yourself a physician. During all of this, TMA continued its work to make sure physician practices remain viable so you can do what you do best — take care of your patients. And, TMA continued to grow; its membership at year’s end totaled 45,548. That’s 500 more than in 2010.
Capitol victories
As is the case in all odd-numbered years, much of TMA’s efforts in 2011 took place in the legislature. There were many vic- tories and a few setbacks, but when the session ended May 30, the association had scored important wins for physi- cians and patients. Bolstered by hundreds of physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance members who traveled to Austin for the highly successful First Tuesdays at the Capitol events throughout the legislative session, TMA:
2011 by the numbers
$450,000+ Amount earned from promoting the four Texas regional extension centers
$350,000 Grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to fund the Physician Oncology
Education Program (POEP)
$336,416 Amount received from the TMA Foundation for Hard Hats for Little Heads, Be Wise — Immunize,
the Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching, the Minority Scholarship Program, and POEP
6,300+ Physicians who attended 230 TMA ethics and Physician Health and Rehabilitation programs
2,688 2,183 776 21
Attendees at 57 continuing medical education (CME) presentations on health information technology
Physicians and medical students who attended TexMed 2011 and the winter and fall conferences
Credits of AMA PRA Category 1 CME certified and offered
Graduates of first class of the TMA Leadership College who were appointed to TMA councils and committees for 2011-12
24 TEXAS MEDICINE June 2012
• Secured legislation that TMA leaders hailed as first-in-the-nation protec- tions for clinical autonomy and inde- pendent medical decision making for physicians employed by hospitals and nonprofit health care corporations.
• Reformed TMB by ending anonymous complaints and giving physicians due process without endangering the 2003 medical liability reforms.
• Staved off substantial cuts in Medic- aid and Children’s Health Insurance Program physician fees that could have driven hordes of doctors out of those programs.
• Stymied efforts by nurse practitioners, podiatrists, optometrists, and other midlevel practitioners to expand their scope of practice.
• Passed legislation to ban discretionary clauses in health insurance policies.
• Secured legislation directing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to facilitate the development of graduate medical education positions in relation to the growth of medical school enrollment.
• Improved public health in Texas by persuading lawmakers to pass bills requiring vaccination of college stu- dents against meningitis, ensuring that new mothers receive information about pertussis immunizations, and mitigating planned cuts to tobacco cessation and chronic disease preven- tion programs.
Clinical autonomy defended TMA worked with the Texas Hospital As- sociation, the Texas Organization of Ru- ral & Community Hospitals, Senate State
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