The Texas Medical Association (TMA) believes a Texas federal judge’s recent ruling that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional provides a bipartisan pathway to strengthen access to health care and provide coverage for the 4.5 million Texans without health care coverage.
The White House has stated that the ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, will remain in effect while all anticipated appeals are exhausted. “This will give us time to keep and strengthen what’s good and fix what’s broken,” said TMA President Douglas Curran, MD.
TMA applauds Gov. Greg Abbott for his eagerness to improve access to quality health care in Texas, and relishes the opportunity to create a health care coverage framework that works for Texas. “The governor’s stated goal of expanding health care insurance coverage, reducing the cost of health care, and ensuring that Texans with preexisting conditions are protected is laudable. With 19 percent of Texans uninsured, the state was already going in the wrong direction in terms of providing better access to health care. We need to devise a solution that makes sense for the people of Texas and enables physicians to do our job of improving the health of all Texans,” said Dr. Curran.
“We look forward to working with the governor, federal and state legislative leadership, and other stakeholders to design and implement a plan to provide access to affordable, high quality health care, and especially to protect our most vulnerable Texans who live with preexisting medical conditions,” said Dr. Curran.
About TMA
The Texas Medical Association is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 52,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
--30--
TMA Media Relations Contacts: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Marcus Cooper (512) 370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org
Last Updated On
December 19, 2018
Originally Published On
December 18, 2018