Twenty-six out of 31 senators signed a letter asking Governor Perry to withdraw his executive order mandating that girls entering the sixth grade in 2008 be vaccinated for the human papillomavirus (HPV). Lawmakers also sent a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott asking him to rule on the governor’s authority to mandate the vaccine, especially since it requires appropriation funds. Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land) filed House Bill 1115, which would preempt Governor Perry’s order. Stay tuned.
Gov. Rick Perry and other state leaders recently met to discuss how to bring new cancer research money to Texas. Cancer research has been funded mainly by the federal government. However, more states are taking steps to finance their own initiatives. Rep. Jim Keffer (R-Eastland) and Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Lewisville) have agreed to sponsor legislation creating a $3 billion cancer research fund. It has not been determined how the bill will be funded, but one option would involve borrowing against bonds to produce $300 million a year for research.
Physicians’ liability insurance premiums have continued to drop since the passage of Proposition 12 and the state's landmark 2003 health care liability reforms. All major physician liability carriers in Texas have cut their rates since the passage of the reforms, most by double-digits. Texas physicians have seen their liability rates cut, on average, 14.7 percent. Roughly half of Texas doctors have seen their rates slashed a quarter. Producing roughly $49 million in annualized premium savings for Texas physicians in 2006 alone. Texas has added newly admitted, rate-regulated carriers, more risk retention groups, captives, surplus lines and other unregulated insurers. Meanwhile, lawsuit filings in most Texas counties have been cut in half since the passage of the 2003 reforms and access to health care has improved.
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