Page 12 - Layout 1
P. 12
BCMS LEGISLATIVE
NEWS
85TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION UNDERWAY selected to Chair the TMA Select Committee on Medicaid, CHIP,
and the Uninsured. I hope to follow in the footsteps of Dr. John
Holcomb, outgoing Chair, who for nearly two decades so avidly lead
TMA's efforts to improve the Medicaid program for patients and
physicians. I first joined TMA as a medical student because of my
interest in CHIP and Medicaid and am excited at the opportunity
to affect positive change in these critical safety net programs."
The sun shines brightly on the Texas State Capitol on opening day of the Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst provides opening remarks during the TMA Medi-
85th Texas Legislative Session. caid Strategic Planning Meeting held Jan. 10 at the TMA headquarters.
The 85th Texas Legislature was sworn into office on January 10 The Select Committee on Medicaid, CHIP and the Uninsured
and we congratulate Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (House District reports to the TMA Council on Socioeconomics and Council on
121), who was elected unanimously once again as Speaker. Addi- Legislation and is charged with the following:
tionally, we congratulate the new members of the Bexar delegation:
Rep. Diana Arevalo (House District 116), Rep. Philip Cortez • Develop TMA policy relating to Medicaid, CHIP, and coverage
(House District 117), Rep. Tomas Uresti (House District 118) and for the uninsured.
Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (House District 120). Cortez is a
former state representative, having served previously during the 83rd • Research and develop policy recommendations to improve the avail-
legislative session. Joining them are the rest of the Bexar delegation, ability and affordability of health insurance in the private sector.
including House members: Rep. Roland Gutierrez (District 119);
Rep. Lyle Larson (District 122); Rep. Diego Bernal (District 123); • Identify and develop TMA regulatory and legislative policy relat-
Rep. Ina Minjarez (District 124); Rep. Justin Rodriguez (District ing to Medicaid, CHIP, and uninsured, including efforts to reduce
125); and Senate members: Sen. Carlos Uresti (District 19); Sen. the administrative complexity or "hassle factor" of participating
Judith Zaffirini (District 21); Sen. Donna Campbell (District 25); in public programs.
and Sen. Jose Menendez (District 26).
• Monitor state and federal regulatory and legislative issues pertain-
Mark your calendars now for First Tuesdays, which kick off on Feb- ing to these programs as well as issues pertaining to safety net
ruary 7. If you haven't already made plans to attend at least one First providers and systems.
Tuesdays visit to the Capitol, please consider doing so. Your partici-
pation in First Tuesdays brings awareness to medicine's issues and cred- • Coordinate and collaborate with appropriate state agency officials to
ibility to the issues your patients and your practice face each day. To promote the efficient and sensible implementation of legislation re-
register for First Tuesdays, visit www.texmed.org/FirstTuesdays. lating to Medicaid, CHIP and the uninsured and develop TMA po-
sitions and/or policy as appropriate. The committee also should track
To learn more about how you can participate in legislative advo- the impact of legislative and budget decisions on the Medicaid physi-
cacy, consider joining the BCMS Legislative and Socioeconomics cian network, patient access to services, and quality of care.
Committee by contacting Mary Nava, chief government affairs of-
ficer and lobbyist, at mary.nava@bcms.org. • Collaborate, as appropriate, with provider associations, consumer
groups, Medicaid and CHIP health plans, and external research
TMA COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHT organizations on studies relating to Medicaid and other publicly
financed health care programs.
New Chair of TMA Select Committee on
Medicaid, CHIP and the Uninsured Named • Assist the Association in its efforts to promote to employers, local
governmental officials, state policy makers, and the public the eco-
At its recent Medicaid Strategic Planning Meeting, the TMA Se- nomic value of Medicaid and CHIP to communities and the state
lect Committee on Medicaid, CHIP and the Uninsured introduced generally as well as the interdependence of Medicaid and CHIP
its new chair, Ryan Van Ramshorst, MD, pediatrician from San An- and other public and private payers.
tonio. He replaces outgoing chair, John Holcomb, MD.
• Collaborate with county medical societies to track and assess in-
Dr. Van Ramshorst stated, "I am extremely honored to have been novative health coverage options, such as three-share initiatives,
Project Access, and others.
Mary E. Nava, MBA, chief government affairs officer and lobbyist.
12 San Antonio Medicine • February 2017
