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to reduce pregnancy and neonatal-related expenditures.” During the 2011 legislative session, she testified before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in favor of leg- islation to continue and strengthen the WHP. She represented TMA, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, the Texas As- sociation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Texas Chapter of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Texas Pediatric Society. She told legislators that Texas saved $10 for every dollar in-


vested in the program and cited the Legislative Budget Board’s estimate that continuing the WHP would save more than $83.7 million in general revenue. She urged legislators to support measures to maximize phy- sician and health center participation in the WHP. n


Crystal Conde is associate editor of Texas Medicine. You can reach her by telephone at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1385, or (512) 370-1385; by fax at (512) 370-1629; or by email at crystal.conde@texmed.org.


Medicine stands up for women’s health


The Texas Medical Association House of Delegates went on record supporting the state family planning and Women’s Health programs during its May 19 meeting at TexMed 2012. Delegates adopted a resolution directing TMA to advocate for continuation and restoration of funding of the programs. The day earlier, the house’s Reference Committee on Sci- ence and Public Health examined information on how the fam- ily planning funding cuts the legislature approved last year have affected access to prenatal care. For instance, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) estimates more than 1.4 million women in Texas aged 15 to 44 are uninsured. Additionally, Medicaid pays for nearly 60 percent of Texas’ 400,000 annual births. Births resulting from unplanned preg- nancy cost the state $1.3 billion each year. Citing the need for access to women’s health services in the state, the committee recommended the house adopt the resolution submitted by the Bexar County and Gregg-Upshur County medical societies. San Antonio family physician Janet Realini, MD, testified


before the reference committee that for more than 30 years Texas has managed a cost-effective, federally funded women’s health services program providing screenings for diabetes, sex- ually transmitted diseases, hypertension, and cancer, and birth control to women in all regions of the state. “This year, more than 150,000 Texans have lost access to pri-


mary health care with reductions in the state women’s health programs,” she said. “This resolution isn’t about abortion; it’s about restoring vital funding to family planning and ensuring women have access to care.” Beverly Nuckols, MD, a New Braunfels family physician, opposed the resolution both at the reference committee hear- ing and when it reached the House of Delegates floor for de- bate. She said that while the programs may be beneficial, TMA should support the will of lawmakers who oppose federal re- quirements for family planning funding. Kimberly Carter, MD, a member of the TMA Council on Science and Public Health, applauded the TMA House of Del- egates for passing the resolution.


July 2012 TEXAS MEDICINE 25


“Our goal as a state and as a nation should be that all preg- nancies are planned. It’s an achievable goal; we actually can prevent unplanned pregnancy. Restoring funding for the state family planning program and continuing the Women’s Health Program help us meet that goal and save the state a lot of money. And we’ll improve the health outcomes of mothers and babies. It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” she said. The House of Delegates also adopted resolutions supporting the use of only scientifically accurate information in the bro- chure physicians must give to all patients requesting an abor- tion. The resolution also said that lawmakers should reduce the loss-of-license penalty for physicians who do not comply with the new abortion-sonogram law.


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