Featured Legislator: US Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (18th District)

your message to Congress. Most of the Texas Congressmen met with our orthopaedic delegation in person, sometimes for extended periods of time. We want to thank each legislator and their staff for spending time with us in an effort to make sure we get reforms right for our patients and our practices.

Affordable quality healthcare for every American. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee is an eight-term democrat who represents a huge area of Houston, Texas. She has been extremely helpful in physician ownership of imaging facilities and hospitals over the last several years. She understands our orthopedic issues. She is interested in not only healthcare coverage for all Americans, but also understands that access to physicians is also essential. She is a strong supporter of healthcare reform but wants to maintain the physician patient relationship and the private practice of medicine. St. Joseph physician owned hospital is in her district.

Click here to contact US Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.

Thank You To Our Sponsor: Angiotech

Click here to visit their website!

This Week In Texas: Mignon McGarry's Memos

October 7, 2009, Wednesday

was named as Chairman. Other new members include Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston); Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) and Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston).  Charles McMahen of Schulenburg was named as a public member. These appointees join Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D-McAllen) who continues to serve as a member of the Commission.  Speaker Joe Straus has yet to announce his appointees.  For more information on these appointees, click here.

Republican Stephen Thomas announced his intention to run for House District 20, the seat being vacated by Rep. Dan Gattis (R-Georgetown).  Thomas recently resigned from his position on the Cedar Park City Council in order to make the race.

Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin) will face a challenger in the general election next November.  Republican Glenn Bass announced that he will run for the House District 48 seat.

George "Buddy" Winn, who was Brazos County's tax assessor for 30 years until his 2007 retirement, will challenge Rep. Fred Brown (R-College Station) in next year's Republican party primary for House District 14.

As these campaign announcements continue, keep in mind that in order to run in either the Republican or Democratic Party primary for a particular office, a candidate must file an application between December 3, 2009 and January 4, 2010, the filing deadline.

TMLT Announces Entrust

Austin, Texas…On September 28, 2009, Austin-based Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) will launch a colleague referral program for its

policyholders called Entrust. TMLT-insured physicians referring 3 colleagues to TMLT will receive a free 3-hour TMLT CME online course Ten Things That Get Physicians Sued. Completion of the course can then earn a 3% premium credit (maximum $1,000) at their next policy renewal.

To market the Entrust program, TMLT will be posting an Entrust referral section on the TMLT website where physicians can fill out an online referral form. Later in the year, myTMLT, TMLT’s members only web section on the TMLT website, will also have this Entrust feature so that current policyholders can participate at their convenience. Each year at policy renewal, TMLT policyholders receive a renewal kit that will now include an Entrust brochure to fill out and mail back. Renewing policyholders will also receive instructions for providing referrals on TMLT’s members only web site. Additionally, policyholders may supply their referrals to sales by phone or email.

TMLT is a physician-owned, healthcare liability claim trust created and endorsed by Texas Medical Association. TMLT has a 30-year track record of serving Texas physicians with solid medical liability protection, successful claim management, risk management, and advocacy. Nearly 15,000 Texas physicians secure their careers with TMLT medical liability coverage.

Thank You To Our Sponsor: Austin Radiological Association

Click here to visit their website!

BC/BS Medical Quality and Policy

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Quality and Policy Department has sent us information for your review and input at their Web site. This is the opportunity for specialty physicians to have input related to any Medical Policy Draft that is listed. Also accessible at this link will be the Active or Pending Medical Policies and MRDocumentation Guidelines. Access BC/BS Medical Policies here and click Draft Medical Policies to review and send in a comment to BC/BS.

• Draft Medical Policies

• Active/Pending Medical Policies

• Medical Policy Medical Records Documentation Guidelines (Predeterminations/Claims)

A couple of examples of Medical Policy Drafts now posted ...

Radiofrequency Facet Joint Denervation
[posted 10/2/2009; comment period ends 10/23/2009]

Facet Joint Injections
[posted 10/2/2009; comment period ends 10/23/2009]

Meniscal Allograft Transplantation
[posted 10/2/2009; comment period ends 10/23/2009]

Osteochondral Autografts and Allografts in the Treatment of Focal Articular Cartilage Lesions
[posted 10/2/2009; comment period ends 10/23/2009]

Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) Services
[posted 10/2/2009; comment period ends 10/23/2009]