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BCMS LEGISLATIVE
NEWS
BCMS physician, Alliance and medical
student members advocate on medicine’s
issues during April First Tuesdays
By Mary E. Nava, MBA, Chief Government Affairs Officer and Lobbyist
At the time of this writing, there were just BCMS physician and Alliance
under 50 days left in the 85th Legislative Ses- members and staff pause for a
sion. BCMS members have been working tire- photo with Rep. Diana
lessly on behalf of medicine to walk the halls of Arevalo (House District 116)
the Capitol during First Tuesdays, testify in during the April 4 First Tues-
committees, drop cards in support or against days visit to the Capitol.
bills and make contact with legislators' offices Standing l-r, back row: James
via email and phone calls. Special thanks go Duerr; Mary Nava; Dan
out to the following physician and Alliance Deane, MD; Ryan Van
members who attended the April 4 First Tues- Ramshorst, MD and Jesse
days visits last week: Moss, Jr., MD. Front row (l-
r): Leah Jacobson, MD; Pam
Physicians: Leah Jacobson, MD, BCMS Hall, MD; Arevalo and Huyen
President; Dan Deane, MD; John Edwards, Nguyen, MD.
MD; Pam Hall, MD; David Henkes, MD;
James Humphreys, MD; Alex Kenton, MD; BCMS physician and Alliance
Jesse Moss, Jr., MD; John Nava, MD; Jayesh members meet with Jon Sch-
Shah, MD and Ryan Van Ramshorst, MD. nautz, general counsel in the
office of House Speaker Joe
Alliance members: James Duerr; Danielle Straus (Dist 121) on April 4
Henkes and Jennifer Lewis. during the First Tuesdays visit
to the Capitol.
In addition, over 140 students and residents
participated in the April First Tuesdays, of BCMS physicians and Alliance
which about a dozen were from San Antonio. members visit with Rep.
Roland Gutierrez, (Dist. 119)
Among the topics discussed with legislators (center) and legislative aide,
and their staff were: State budget; Medicaid; Paola Pina (standing) during
public health; GME; surprise billing; expanded First Tuesdays on April 4.
mediation; health plan network directories; From (l-r) are: David Henkes,
medication step therapy; parents' right to know MD; Danielle Henkes; Jen-
about vaccine exemptions; mental health and nifer Lewis; Pina; Gutierrez;
substance abuse; raise tobacco use age to 21; and Alex Kenton, MD.
telemedicine; maintenance of certification, vir-
tual credit cards and scope of practice. Physician and Alliance mem-
bers pause for a photo with
The last First Tuesdays is May 2. To register, Sen. Donna Campbell (Dist
visit www.texmed.org/firsttuesdays. 25) on April 4 during First
Tuesdays. Standing (l-r) are:
For local discussion on these and other leg- Danielle Henkes; Jennifer
islative advocacy topics, consider joining the Lewis; David Henkes, MD;
BCMS Legislative and Socioeconomics Com- Pam Hall, MD; Campbell;
mittee by contacting Mary Nava, BCMS chief Joel Dunnington, MD; Dan
government affairs officer and lobbyist by email Deane, MD and James Deurr.
at mary.nava@bcms.org.
12 San Antonio Medicine • May 2017
