Stories written by Alisa Pierce

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: New Technology Laws Take Effect Sept. 1 - 08/29/2025

TMA took a physician-led approach this session to legislation related to health information technology, safeguarding medicine from would-be detriments, including unchecked use of artificial intelligence by payers and unintended consequences stemming from federal law.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Medical Liability Risks Fail to Find Foothold in Texas - 08/29/2025

Medicine’s work this session to preserve Texas’ landmark medical liability reforms started and ended like legislative sessions past with a perennial attempt to index the landmark 2003 noneconomic damages cap to inflation. But that story had a twist this session in that the vehicle to do so, House Bill 4036, was pushed by a pair of Republicans alongside its typical Democrat contingency.  

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: Harmful Insurance Bills Defeated by Physician Advocacy - 08/29/2025

Decades of insurance advocacy overturned. Undermined patient and clinician protections. Unwarranted criminal and civil penalties. These would-be detriments were just a few the Texas Medical Association defeated as part of its mission to preserve physicians’ practice viability, striking down a slew of bad insurance bills during the 2025 state legislative session.     

‘A United Force’: Physicians Answered the Call for Patients, Medicine This Legislative Session - 08/29/2025

The Texas Medical Association remained a powerful force to stand up for patients and the practice of medicine

Personalized Pursuit: Word-of-Mouth Recruitment Plays Vital Role in How TMA Grows Membership - 08/29/2025

TMA launches new pilot program that focuses on member physicians recruiting colleagues to join the association.

TMA Gallery to Launch New Exhibit on Austin Museum Day - 08/27/2025

The gallery, free to the public during Austin Museum Day Sunday, Sept. 21, features centuries-old archival material and medical relics like early stethoscopes, bloodletting lancets, and physicians’ medical bags, to teach how TMA shaped medicine in Texas.

Practice Management Hub Puts Members’ Needs First - 08/25/2025

From member-benefit toolkits, articles, CME material, and more, the pages offer a centralized hub for everyday practice management resources.

Patients Increasingly Find AI-Produced Health Info Online – But Many Prefer Physicians - 08/22/2025

Despite the rise of AI-generated medical data online, 90% of Americans still trust physicians as trustworthy sources of health information, and almost half still prefer clinicians’ education and experience.

Cigna Downcoding Policy Threatens Payment; TMA Urges Repeal - 08/18/2025

The payer announced a new plan under which it may adjust certain higher-level evaluation and management codes based on the encounter criteria in a submitted claim.

SAFER Guides Help Safeguard Practice Operations During EHR Downtime - 08/14/2025

In case of natural disasters, cyberattacks, and more, the guides include checklists, action-based worksheets, and recommendations to help physicians reduce patient risks related to electronic health records.

Inaugural Award: TMASFF Cowles Young Physician Scholarship Endowment Supports Future Medical Leaders - 08/04/2025

The endowment promotes TMA leadership training opportunities for young physicians in Harris County. Learning about its namesake doctor “made me even more driven to continue to become a leader in medicine and to continue my journey with TMA,” one recipient said.

Digital Dilemma: Health Information Technology Remains a Valuable Tool for Physicians - 07/30/2025

Health information technology remains a valuable tool for Texas physicians – but some detriments to patient care, physician wellness persist.

El Paso Physician Broadcast Arms Public with Health Care Knowledge - 07/29/2025

Physician-led efforts to educate patients on vaccines may help the U.S. battle recent surges of preventable diseases.

TMA Calls on Federal Agencies to Reduce Physicians’ Tech Burdens - 07/29/2025

TMA recommended several changes, including those that promote strong interoperability standards and streamline electronic health records and other digital tools.

AI, Physician Finances to Headline Business of Medicine Conference - 06/26/2025

TMA members can attend free when they register before Friday, Sept. 12. Plus, attend TMA’s Border Health Conference the same weekend for insight into pressing health care issues on the Texas-Mexico border.

Service Provider: TMA Practice Resources Educate Physicians on Practice Challenges - 06/23/2025

TMA’s robust practice resources help educate physicians on common billing issues, payer updates, and practice challenges.

Read and Review: TMA Offers Insight into Common Physician Contracts - 06/23/2025

TMA offers tips, insight into common types of contracts physicians encounter across their careers.

TMA Vigilant of New Medicare Advantage Audits - 06/17/2025

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun what the agency itself calls an “aggressive” new strategy to audit all Medicare Advantage plans annually to review whether insurers and their networks are inflating patients’ illnesses, leading to overpayments – and the additional compliance burdens and possible repayments could fall on physicians.  

Physicians Work More, Take Less Vacation, Multiple Burnout Studies Find - 06/02/2025

“The inability of most physicians to completely disengage from patient care while on vacation should be considered a system failure – one with consequences for both the patient and the physician,” one study said.

Member Expertise Drives TMA Councils, Committees in Policy Work - 05/28/2025

Members of TMA’s councils and committees are selected based on a comprehensive set of criteria, such as regional representation, subject area expertise, and county medical society involvement.

TMA’s First 2025 Legislative Victory Protects Sensitive Test Results - 05/23/2025

Gov. Greg Abbott signed TMA’s first victory of the 2025 legislative session to allow physicians a way to communicate to their patients receive serious or sensitive test results in a supportive manner rather than via electronic patient portals. Texas physicians will still need to comply with information blocking provisions after the three-day pause.

TMA Preserves Technology’s “Human Element” with New EHR, AI Policies - 05/21/2025

Texas physicians unanimously adopted new TMA policy advocating for EHR-generated health care forms, circumventing lengthy manual processes and unnecessary expenses placed upon physician practices. Also adopted: new policy that strengthens TMA’s efforts to stay abreast of AI advancements.

‘Misinformation ... Spreads Faster Than Accurate Information. I’m Trying to Change That’ - 05/16/2025

The most popular physician on social media, Mikhail “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, DO, closed TexMed 2025 with a highly attended presentation on how Texas physicians can utilize the relationship between health care and the internet to connect with patients.

Physicians Combat Bad Bills at TMA’s Final First Tuesdays at the Capitol - 05/07/2025

Champion of medicine Sen. Donna Campbell, MD, thanked Texas physicians for rallying against harmful legislation – like those that could expand scope of practice. Also on TMA’s chopping block: bills that let health plans go unchecked and weaken vaccine access.

Physicians’ Personal Finances to Headline TexMed Panel - 05/05/2025

An upcoming TexMed panel will feature insight into debt management, educational planning, investments at both the early and mid-and-established career levels, and more. The session directly follows other Texas Medical Association efforts to meet members’ needs.