Legislative

Top legislative priorities in 2019 include:

• Neuromusculoskeletal clarification – HB 2733/SB 1867 adds the World Health Organization’s definition of “neuromusculoskeletal” to the Texas Chiropractic Act to resolve a frivolous lawsuit from the Texas Medical Association (TMA). This bill does not change the scope of practice and only clarifies it.
• Ending provider discrimination – HB 1410/SB 1739 prohibits health insurers from denying payment to a chiropractor for services they are legally authorized to provide if the insurer would pay another provider for such services. This bill give chiropractors a means to enforce this prohibition when there is discrimination.
• Addressing the opioid crisis – HB 1866 stems the tide of opioid overprescribing by limiting an initial opioid prescription for acute pain to a seven-day supply and encourages the prescriber to refer the patient to conservative, non-pharmacological care (PT, OT, chiropractic, osteopathic manipulation or physical medicine/rehabilitation).

• Post-payment extrapolation – HB 2151/SB 1508 prevents abusive claims audit behavior by health insurers by prohibiting them from conducting a sample audit of a provider’s claims, then extrapolating those findings across the remaining unreviewed portion of the provider’s claims and attempting to recoup overpayments based on that extrapolation.
• Inclusion on Combative Sports Advisory Board – HB 201 requires the Combative Sports Advisory Board to include a chiropractor, helping to improve the effectiveness of the board and strengthening the board’s recommendations for combatant health and safety.
• Notice to injured workers (workers’ compensation) – HB 741/SB 229 ensures injured employees are informed of their right to select the treating doctor of their choice, including not only a doctor of medicine or osteopathy but also a doctor of chiropractic, optometry, dentistry or podiatry.   

In addition to advancing pro-chiropractic legislation, TCA is always on the watch for legislation that would negatively impact the chiropractic profession or limit patient access to chiropractic care.

Big Wins for Chiropractic in 2017 

2017 was a HUGE year for the chiropractic profession in Texas!  With support from across Texas and outside the state, the TCA was able to:

• Affirm your right to diagnose – Our most important victory was SB 304 (aka the Sunset bill), which clarifies that Texas DCs may lawfully diagnose the biomechanical condition of the spine and musculoskeletal system.
• Level the playing field – Another key legislative win was SB 679, which allows DCs to form business entities with physicians and podiatrists. This is an important advancement for chiropractors interested in forming integrated practices.
• Create positive public relations –During the legislative session, TCA employed a multi-pronged campaign that included print advertisements, email, text messaging and social media to rally Texas doctors and their patients to contact their state legislators in support of TCA’s main bills. In February 2017, it worked to perfection when a record 600+ DCs, students and chiropractic supporters took the message to the Texas Capitol on TCA Legislative Day in Austin!