Dear Texas AAPS members,

The 86th session of the Texas legislature is under way and your AAPS State Chapter is preparing to work hard to support a number of legislative priorities that will put patients first and protect the integrity of the patient-physician relationship. 

We have two dates saved for Capitol Day events in Austin to visit legislators’ offices and advocate for these changes:  February 6 and March 6. 

We will alert you as soon as possible when there are changes or movement on legislation that directly affects the practice of medicine. 

Policy change we plan to support include:

1) Point of Care Dispense: We seek to let Texas patients bypass middlemen who drive up cost by freeing physicians to directly dispense prescription drugs in the clinic. The vast majority of states already permit this but Texas does not allow in-office dispense by physicians. Rep. Matt Shaheen has introduced HB 460 to allow direct dispense. 

2) Right of Conscience: Medical professionals should not be forced to participate in treatments or actions that conflict with sincerely held beliefs and which may be harmful to the patient. 

3) Due Process under the Texas Medical Board:  We seek to improve the process by which the board conducts itself.  The TMB should be a fair and impartial agency that protects the public from harmful practices. Investigations and hearings that ignore due process and proper handling of evidence must not be permitted if the agency is to be trusted.  Patient access to trusted physicians is diminished when trivial complaints are used as opportunities for intrusive fishing expeditions and fault-finding.

If you are able to come and join your colleagues walking the halls of the Capitol on one or both of those dates, please email president@texasaaps.org and we will give you additional details and add you to the list.

Thank you and stay tuned for more action items in coming weeks.

All for the Patient,
Your Texas Chapter