BCMS Stands Firm on Health Care Reform Position
The successful passage of medical liability reforms in 2003 led to a significant increase in the number of physicians practicing in Texas. Since 2003, the physician workforce grew by 16,225 newly-licensed physicians. This resulted in improved access to care for patients which was, in fact, the main focus of medical liability reform.
Top 5 BCMS priorities:
Protecting our medical liability reforms and thus, patient access to care.
Health insurance reform. We support efforts to:
- Make private health insurance companies more transparent and accountable to their enrollees regarding the premiums they charge to employers and patients
- Provide insurance coverage to patients regardless of pre-existing conditions
- Provide insurance coverage that is not employer-based
- Foster competition across state lines
- Provide standardized benefits language
- Clearly outline insurance policies/benefits with a variety of provider choice
- Provide continued coverage when it is needed
- Provide uniform disclosure
Maintaining the patient-physician relationship
• Advocating for a health care system that will allow patients to have access to the physician of their choice while simultaneously recognizing the leading role of physicians in the management of medical care.
Finding a permanent solution to the Medicare physician payment methodology
• BCMS physicians support replacing the SGR with a rational Medicare physician payment system that is backed by a fair and stable funding formula based on the Medical Economic Index (MEI) that will automatically and more accurately forecast the costs of practicing medicine.
