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BCMS
COMMITTEES

BCMS Legislative and
Socioeconomic Committee

Survey after survey shows that the No. 1 reason physicians join issues of importance to medicine. These meetings are informal, and
the Bexar County Medical Society is to support organized medicine are an opportunity for physicians to visit face-to-face with incum-
and have a strong political voice. bents and candidates to get to know each other and learn about
each other’s stand on issues.
The BCMS Legislative and Socioeconomics Committee is
charged with the following actions: To learn more, visit www.bcms.org/advocacy or to join the com-
mittee, contact Mary Nava at mary.nava@bcms.org.
• Develops, contests, monitors and implements legislative pol-
icy at the local, state and federal levels

• Studies, recommends, monitors and engages in activities re-
lated to the socioeconomics aspects of medical practice man-
agement, regulations and managed care issues, including
participating in meetings/forums with health plans

• Meets with elected officials of the Texas Legislature and Con-
gress to keep them informed on medicine’s issues

• Participates in meetings with members of the Texas House of
Representatives and Senate during First Tuesdays visits to the
Capitol in Austin during legislative sessions

• Works closely with the Texas Medical Association (TMA) to
develop and support the TMA legislative agenda

TMA’s First Tuesdays program began in 2003 with the 78th Leg- Physicians meeting with Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, at
islative Session. During each legislative year, physician members the BCMS offices.
and BCMS Alliance members join together and visit with each of
the House and Senate members from San Antonio in their Austin BCMS physicians meet with State Rep. Justin Rodriguez.
offices. First Tuesdays attendees witness first-hand how they can
make a difference through their participation to make their voices
heard on medicine’s issues affecting patients and physicians. Also
during First Tuesdays, our group joins with other TMA and TMA
Alliance members from around the state. Everyone walks together
to the Capitol; physicians wearing their white coats. The impression
created by a sea of white coats in the halls of the Capitol is talked
about repeatedly by legislators and their staffs.

During legislative sessions, issues may arise that require additional
actions such as writing letters and making phone calls to legislator
offices; attending hearings to register our position on legislation or
testifying in person in support of or against legislation under con-
sideration and/or displaying support for legislation of importance
to medicine being carried by our legislators in San Antonio or other
parts of the state.

During the interim sessions, committee members meet with
elected officials on an individual basis to continue discussions on

32 San Antonio Medicine • October 2015