Texas Medical Association Agrees: Texas Children Need Access To Health Care

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 02 Jul 2009 - 4:00 PST

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Statement from Texas Medical Association President William H. Fleming III, MD, in response to today's press conference by Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) and Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston). Senator Shapleigh and Representative Coleman called on Governor Rick Perry to add legislation that would expand the Children's Health Insurance Program in the special session.

"Texas physicians applaud Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) and Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) for standing up for Texas' uninsured children. We agree that Governor Perry should add legislation allowing working families to buy into the Children's Health Insurance Program to the items eligible for consideration during this special session. The measure would insure more than 80,000 children from working families who cannot afford to buy health insurance coverage. TMA believes that providing children with a regular physician who can deliver essential health care services in an appropriate setting is not only good medicine but also smart business."

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing nearly 44,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA's key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.

Source
Texas Medical Association