Policy Solutions

07/08/2021

For appraisers, the 87th legislature was an immense success. Both FACT legislative priority bills passed and have been signed into law. http://www.supportfact.org/News/87th-Legislative-Session

11/07/2018

2018 Midterm Election Results: Analysis, race highlights, and our takeaways

https://ericwoomer.com/resources/2018-midterm-elections-race-highlights-and-analysis

Texans smashed midterm voter turnout records this election cycle, casting more ballots during the early voting period than they did in the entire 2014 election. The number of young voters doubled between the two elections, driven largely by enthusiasm for top ballot candidates and an increased desir...

09/05/2018

Congressman John Carter visited the Cedar Park Surgery Center as part of National ASC Month. He toured the facility and then joined a round-table discussion on the value of ASCs and the many benefits ASCs provide to patients and the healthcare system as a whole. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Cedar Park Surgery Center, SCA and value of ASCs.


Also Pictured: Teri O’Laughlin, RN, CASC; Cullen Scott, Director of Operations, Austin/San Antonio; and Michael Huerta, Director of Sales & Market Development, Austin/San Antonio.

09/04/2018

> Non Member Early Bird Price -$250 (before September 7, 2018)> Non Member Regular Price - $275 (after September 7, 2018)

08/14/2018

State board approves new medical school for Sam Houston State University https://t.co/ZCqTeZVUOr via

University officials say they hope the school will increase the number of rural doctors, but some state leaders were skeptical.

08/14/2018

Abbott sets runoff to replace state Sen. Carlos Uresti for Sept. 18 https://t.co/zrvcjQohFB via

Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a Sept. 18 special election runoff for Senate District 19.

08/10/2018

Home construction per household is now at its lowest levels in nearly six decades, leading to a new housing crisis of too few homes and too many potential buyers. https://t.co/HVRYrNsuOb

Ten years after a housing collapse during the Great Recession, home values have rebounded but there are too few homes on the market. Buyers face intense competition, and that means higher prices.

08/07/2018

Texas Senate school safety committee recommends focusing on mental health, avoids gun control https://t.co/aUpMcdO1y6 via

The Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools and School Safety also wants to explore new funding to help arm certain school employees.

07/31/2018

Polls close at 7pm, last chance for those in to vote in this special election! Last minute voting > sitting in rush hour traffic

“TEXAS SENATE DISTRICT 19 VOTERS: Today is the day! Don't forget to cast your vote in the SD-19 Special Election. To learn more about who's on the ballot and which approved forms of photo ID you can bring to the booth, visit https://t.co/VUkuIgybdw https://t.co/MPImCF...

07/29/2018

Attending the TX. Society of Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists in Galveston this morning. Learning a lot about collaborative care modalities. There is a real need for more access to psychiatric care for juveniles - glad TSCAP is part of the solution!

07/26/2018

When Newspapers Close, the Cost of Government Goes Up: A first-of-its-kind study looks at how local news outlets shutting down impacts cities' and counties' finances. https://t.co/TnO1bo9wil

A first-of-its-kind study looks at how local news outlets shutting down impacts cities' and counties' finances.

07/24/2018

Attending a joint mtg of H. B&I and H.LAP Committees to hear more about the construction industry’s response after Hurricane Harvey. The need for more skilled workers in construction is reaching a crisis point! Lots of good discussion.

07/22/2018

Here is the problem: Those who think they know the most, often actually know the least. For this reason, despite their confidence, they are ill-equipped to guide public policy. I trust my doctor. https://t.co/YOJmMDoZPs

07/20/2018

Texas senators agree on the need for school mental health services, but they worry about funding feasibility https://t.co/9R3lvci1fK via

In their third scheduled meeting, the Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools and School Security discussed the role of mental health in school shootings and ways to address it. But questions of funding kept popping up.

07/19/2018

Beto O’Rourke vs. Ted Cruz is the most expensive U.S. Senate race in America https://t.co/ETR1I7ocR4 via

The Texas U.S. Senate race has pulled in $46M so far - double the amount of most any other U.S. Senate race

07/10/2018

New import duties have effectively led to a 30% price increase on newsprint, eating into the already-lean profit margins of small newspapers. Smaller papers have had to lay off staff, cut print editions, and more to keep afloat. https://t.co/JpZKKMRzwN

President Donald Trump's tariffs on goods such as newsprint hurt business and jobs.

06/28/2018

Progress at the federal level!

ASCs Mark a Win in Congress

The US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means marked up the Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Transparency Act of 2018 (H.R. 6138), which comprises half of the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2017 (H.R. 1838)—ASCA’s mainstay legislation. The bill would add at least one ASC representative to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment and require CMS to disclose the criteria it uses to exclude procedures from the ASC Medicare-payable procedure list. These measures will provide the ASC industry more representation before regulators and establish transparency in the Medicare procedure review process.

The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association has advocated these provisions for several years and will continue monitoring the progress of this legislation. It still has a way to go, but we thank the House Committee for moving the bill forward!

06/22/2018

Texas can't let misguided vaccination fears endanger all our kids https://t.co/TgYVDty8Ku

Texas parents, we applaud the tens of thousands of you who will make the trek to the doctor this summer to get your kids' vaccinations. You know...