Contents tagged with legislature
-
Kingwood family physician seeks Republican nomination for HD 127
Kingwood family physician seeks Republican nomination for HD 127
TAFP member Martin Basaldua, M.D., of Kingwood will seek the Republican nomination for Texas House District 127 in the upcoming … more
-
81st Texas Legislature: The Postmortem
81st Texas Legislature: The Postmortem
In what some have described as the “lost session,” family medicine emerged with a surprising list of successes
By Jonathan Nelson
The story of the 81st … more
-
Seeking a system that respects the patient-physician relationship
By Robert Youens, M.D., M.M.M.
TAFP President, 2008-2009Recently in a neighboring community to mine with practicing family physicians, a hospital, surgeons, obstetrical care, ER coverage and multiple visiting specialists, two interesting developments have occurred. First, a new clinic has opened with a $1 million grant and the backing of the local community and a citizen champion. The plan is to have it qualify as a Federally Qualified Health Center “look-alike” that will allow it to receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement at significantly higher levels than the locally practicing physicians. This clinic is able to see any patient: Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance or private pay. Incidentally, the guiding force behind the clinic says they currently have a nurse practitioner and a “family practice” doctor, but he wants to get a pediatrician because his primary reason for starting the clinic is to help children.
Second, with the help of local and federal politicians, a Veterans Administration clinic is to open this summer to care for veterans in the area who need their services, thus decreasing travel distances to a more remote VA clinic. This clinic was awarded on a bid contract to a company who apparently does this in other places and is to be staffed by various ancillary personnel hired for the business as well as a general practitioner from the area.
more -
Under the dome
Under the dome
By Kate McCann
The 81st Texas Legislative Session convened on Jan. 13, ushering in a new era as the Texas House of Representatives elected Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, as the new … more
-
Reflections on being the “Doctor of the Day”
By Warren Longmire, M.D.
Most people who come into medicine want to help others. They have a strong desire to give prompt, friendly, medically accurate, and full service to those in need. With this concept in mind, I offer these reflections on 30-some years of participation in the Physician of the Day program, in which family physicians volunteer to treat people at the state Capitol when the Legislature is in session.
When we began, many legislators were very suspicious of us. They frequently asked, “What do you want for all this care you are giving?” The best answer we had was, “when we figure out just what is needed, we will share it with you.”
more -
National survey predicts growing shortage of primary care physicians
National survey predicts growing shortage of primary care physicians
Add one more report to the mounting stack of evidence that primary care in America is in short supply and in danger of becoming … more
-
Favorable political climate during the interim good indication for next session
Favorable political climate during the interim good indication for next session
By Kate McCann
Though the most noticeable battles take place at the Capitol during the first five months of odd- … more
-
What’s inside managed care’s black box?
What’s inside managed care’s black box?
By Jonathan Nelson
As the sun sets on the Texas Department of Insurance, opportunities abound to sneak a peek at how health insurers do business
Here’s a … more
-
Physician-led campaign encourages doctors to “take another look” at the program
Physician-led campaign encourages doctors to “take another look” at the program
Now that the Texas Legislature has passed a pay raise for participating physicians, is it time to open your doors … more