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Texas Senate Recognizes TSGE and Colon Cancer Prevention Awareness Month ↓
TSGE Legislative Update - March 2025On Tuesday, March 4, the Texas Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy (TSGE) met with about a dozen legislative offices to discuss several importance issues:
While HB 138 is promoted as a measure to increase transparency regarding the financial impact of new mandates on health plans, concentrating solely on cost without considering the benefits to patients or the long-term savings associated with preventative care could undervalue essential health benefits threatens to undermine efforts to improve patient care. If enacted, health plans could utilize this program to delay and ultimately block any future attempts to reform coverage, network adequacy, prior authorization, or utilization review (essentially anything the health plans oppose). \ Scope of Practice Expansion (OPPOSE) - A number of scope expansion bills have already been filed in the 89th Texas Legislature. Among the most notable is SB 911, which expands the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists. The bill aims to grant these practitioners with the authority to practice and prescribe independently, without physician supervision, after they complete 3,000 hours of clinical experience within a five-year period. Additionally, the bill seeks to enhance the prescribing authority of APRNs, enabling them to prescribe and order medications, including controlled substances. We discussed the legislation with several offices during TSGE advocacy day, arguing that such expansions could compromise patient safety since APRNs do not possess the same depth of knowledge and training as physicians.
Who represents me in the Texas Legislature? Texas Senate - Members of the Texas Senate - https://www.senate.texas.gov/members.php
Texas House - Find My Representative - https://www.house.texas.gov/members/find-your-representative/.
Committees Texas Senate - https://senate.texas.gov/committees.php
Texas House - https://house.texas.gov/ How can I track a Bill in the Texas Legislature? You can follow bills online at Texas Legislature Online- http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/
Who represents me in the US Congress? US Senate: John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX)
US House: http://www.house.gov/representatives/
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