Gearing up for number 78:
Tort reform is top concern as TAFP prepares for legislative session

by Tom Banning, TAFP Director of Legislative Affairs

Time is winding down before the 78th Texas Legislature convenes in Austin to face arguably one of the most difficult sessions in decades. Legislators will be faced with escalating health care costs in the state financed programs, while they try to balance a significant budget shortfall in the range of $5 to $12 billion. This is coupled with a newly redistricted and relatively inexperienced Legislature, most of whom ran on the promise of no new taxes.

Physicians, much like the state, are struggling with the stress of operating a business with costs sharply increasing while revenue streams have flat-lined or are declining. Both physicians and the state will be forced to deal with these economic pressures in a state with a staggering number of uninsured, which will only add to the stress.

TAFP has identified the following major issues as priorities for the 2003 Texas Legislature to address the cost and revenue of running a practice:

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Contact the TAFP Legislative Department:

 Tom Banning, Director of Legislative Affairs

Greg Herzog, 
Legislative Aide

Visit the Member Advocacy section of the Web Site

• $250,000 cap on non-economic damages
• Expert witness reform
• Collateral source reform
• Scheduled payments
• Sliding scale for contingency fees

Managed care reform

• Prompt pay
• Standardized contracts and referrals
• Physician joint negotiation

Medicaid

• Preserve and protect funding to the program
• Streamline administrative burdens

Taxes

• Oppose taxing medical practices or other forms of economic restraint that exacerbate an already fragile medical practice environment

TAFP is proud to sponsor the physician of the day program for the 78th Texas Legislature. This will mark the 32nd year of the program.

The Family Physician of the Day works in a primary care clinic located in the Capitol extension and treats anyone sick or injured on the Capitol grounds. Family physicians of the day are introduced on the House and Senate floors, by the legislator from the district in which they practice and their names become part of the official legislative record. Family physicians have volunteered their time and services since 1971 for every regular and special session of the Texas Legislature.

This year we are excited to announce that the TAFP will offer Texas medical students an opportunity to do a preceptorship with the Physician of the Day. The goal is to expose Texas medical students to the broad scope of family practice and hopefully increase the number of students choosing a career in family medicine.

The Physician of the Day program is coordinated and organized by TAFP and co-sponsored by the Travis County Medical Society, TMA, Texas Osteopathic Medical Association, Texas Department of Health and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

If you would like to volunteer for the program, please go to http://www.tafp.org/advocacy/pod.htm.