During the 80th and 81st Legislative Sessions, TAFP Communications expanded its coverage of Texas politics to bring you the Capitol Update weekly e-newsletter and Capitol Report weekly video webcast.
June 1, 2009Physician loan repayment bill wins approval
as session ends
Governor signs TAFP’s instant verification of benefits bill | House, Senate approve $182.3 billion budget | Final hours hold fate of TDI sunset and CHIP expansion | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video webcast, Capitol Report.
Clock ticks down as important measures hang in the balance
Senate Finance Committee to take up TAFP’s loan repayment initiative | APNs fail to attach broad expansions of practice to retail health clinic bill | TAFP’s instant verification of benefits bill heads to the governor | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
May 15, 2009Senate passes TAFP’s instant verification of benefits bill
House passes physician loan repayment measure | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video webcast, Capitol Report.
With few weeks left in the session, action heats up on health care issues
New tactic for TAFP’s loan repayment bill | Senate committee passes instant verification of benefits | TAFP joins physician organizations to petition budget conferees | Budget conferees consider statewide rollout of Medicaid HMO model | Senate votes to expand CHIP | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
April 29, 2009TAFP issues Action Alert on H.B. 1876
House passes TAFP’s instant verification of benefits bill | Committees vote to expand access to CHIP, Medicaid | AHA asks for support of statewide smoke-free law | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day, weekend spots available
April 17, 2009Critical time for important bills
Top TAFP initiatives make news around the state | House Public Health hears scope of practice bills | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
April 7, 2009Deadlines loom in 81st session, your action needed to move bills
Senate passes budget, the ball now in House’s court | Other bills of interest: TDI sunset and managed care | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day, six spots remain in session
View this edition of TAFP's video webcast, Capitol Report.
TAFP’s loan repayment bill gets major media coverage
Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
March 12, 2009TAFP News video, Capitol Report
Filing deadline closes contentious week | Texas Public Health Coalition publishes list of filed bills | Austin pediatrician testifies on Medicaid spending | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
March 4, 2009Watch TAFP’s news video, CAPITOL REPORT
TAFP calls on legislators to bring Medicaid payment rates on level with Medicare | TAFP joins TMA, TPS in support of S.B. 346 and S.B. 347 | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video webcast, Capitol Report.
TAFP’s loan repayment reform bill filed
Instant verification of benefits could become a reality in Texas | TAFP member testifies before House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services | Physician of the Day
February 13, 2009Advanced practice nurses reveal agenda for independent practice
House announces committee appointments | Article II workgroup for Senate Finance named | Thanks to this week’s Physicians of the Day; volunteers still needed
February 5, 2009Senate makes committee appointments
TAFP needs to hear from you in advance of legislative effort | TMA’s initial First Tuesday brings crowd of doctors to the Capitol | Thanks to this week’s Physicians of the Day; volunteers still needed
January 29, 2009Governor makes 5th state-of-the-state address
Hinojosa files fair contracting bill | Public health update | Lobby for a day on TMA’s First Tuesday | Physician of the Day program
January 22, 200981st Texas Legislature swings into action
Lege opens | First Tuesdays with TMA | Physician of the Day availability
June 5, 2007
Legislature concludes amid turmoil
Lege closes; CHIP bill, managed care reforms, Medicaid pay hike all pass
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Time is running out for budget deliberations
Senate committee passes CHIP bill | Residency program funding study passes committee | Vaccine distribution bill heard by Public Health |
Two managed care reforms await Perry’s signature | HIT bill headed to Senate floor | Thanks to the Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
House deadline kills hundreds of bills
Conferees begin budget work | Senate votes to look into funding new residency positions | Thanks to this week’s Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Deadlines loom in the last month of the session
Senate passes transparency bill | House passes tax clean-up bill | Senate committee hears bill on physician ranking systems | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Wellness and prevention take center stage
HIT is hot topic for Public Health Committee | “Smart card” bill passes House | Senate names budget conferees | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Senate passes Medicaid reform bill
Managed care bills make their way through the process | Senate passes budget, no increases for GME | House Insurance Committee passes “smart card” bill | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day, more volunteers needed to finish the session
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Managed care reform bills gather momentum
in House and Senate
Agreement in Frew suit means 25-percent raise in Medicaid provider
pay | Senate passes budget, details to be worked out in conference committee | House committee debates Medicaid provider database | TAFP speaks out against reducing physician supervision of NPs | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
House passes CHIP enhancement bill
Medicaid reform bill voted out of committee | Federal hearing draws near in Frew v. Hawkins | House passes expedited credentialing bill | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
House passes $150-billion budget
State suspends enrollment in Medicaid managed care program | CHIP restoration bill rescheduled for House debate | Youth fitness initiative advances to Senate floor | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
House committee passes budget
CHIP reform stalls in House| Fair contracting bill gets first
hearing |Committee approves “smart card” bill| Thanks to these
Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Committees near end of state budget deliberations
Sen. Nelson tackles Medicaid reform | Pathology bill heard in House committee | Update: Provider flu vaccine bill voted out of the Senate | Managed care reform on House committee docket for Monday | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
CHIP reform bill passed by House Committee
Worries over federal lawsuit complicate health spending deliberations | Senator files TAFP’s fair contracting bill | Committee considers “silent PPOs,” insurance ID cards and physician credentialing | TAFP fights Anatomical Pathology Legislation | TAFP comments on draft transparency bill | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
TAFP’s fair contracting bill filed
Nelson announces Medicaid reform bill | Dukes’ bill creates online Medicaid provider list | House Insurance to hear managed care bills
on March 5 | Contact your legislators on budget items | Thanks to
these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
Bill blocking mandatory HPV vaccination passes
to House floor
Bill could reduce physician supervision of NPs and PAs | Funding for medical priorities still in the air | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
View this edition of TAFP's video Webcast, Capitol Report.
HPV vaccine debate continues, physician
educates lawmakers
Bill to extend end-of-life care indefinitely | Tell legislators to put
their money where the need is | Join other white coats to lobby at
the Capitol | Spots still open for Physician of the Day, dates listed below
Health care takes center stage in governor’s address
TAFP fights for increased Medicaid rates | Measures taken to support graduate medical education | Lawmakers focus on public health | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
February 5, 2007House fails to suspend rules on hearing bills
BCBS agrees to TAFP request: Identify family physicians who provide obstetrics | Appropriations Committee puts health care funding on the agenda | Harris and Woolley file “smart card” bills | TAFP publishes Issue Briefs at www.tafp.org | House committee appointments announced | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
January 26, 2007Perry hints at Medicaid reform plan
Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched | House committee appointments announced | Eiland files bill to protect physicians from health plans’ unscrupulous practices | Thanks to these Physicians
of the Day
Wintery Blast Cools Activity in Austin
Sen. Hinojosa challenges Governor to solve Texas’ health care crisis in op-ed | State senator and family physician Bob Deuell files bill on flu vaccine distribution | Thanks to these Physicians of the Day
January 12, 2007Legislature Begins with State Budget Quandary
High Drama in the House
