Scope-of-practice creep and access to mental health care are among the 57 charges Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently issued for Senate committees to study ahead of the 2025 legislative session. The Texas Medical Association’s advocacy for medicine-friendly policy also continues apace during the interim, with the association closely monitoring several of these charges.
Meanwhile, TMA’s Council on Legislation is culling a list of legislative priorities for the upcoming session, following the success of this approach in advance of the 2023 session. Zeke Silva, MD, a radiologist in San Antonio and the incoming council chair, says this process is guided by TMA policy and member physicians.
One through line is scope creep, which topped TMA’s 2023 list and remains a constant battle, as evidenced by the Texas Senate Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee’s charge to examine “whether regulatory and licensing flexibilities could improve access to [primary and mental health] care, particularly in medically underserved areas of Texas.”
Source: Texas Senate Interim Charges Underscore TMA Legislative Priorities / Texas Medical Association