Texas Medical Association president talks to local docs about key issues
Texas Medical Association President Dr. Ray Callas addresses Highland Lakes physicians about key challenges facing the medical field, including the fentanyl crisis, human trafficking, and Medicare reform. Staff photo by Elizabeth De Los Santos
Texas Medical Association President Dr. Ray Callas spoke to Highland Lakes-area physicians about pressing issues facing the medical profession on Thursday, Oct. 17, in Marble Falls.
“Medicine is at a crossroads right now; we’re fighting on many different fronts,” Callas said during his presentation at The Venue on Main, 112 Main St.
Callas, who has been in private practice for 22 years, highlighted several key areas of concern, including the fentanyl overdose crisis, sex and human trafficking, and the need for Medicare payment reform to better serve the elderly population.
The Texas Medical Association is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 57,000 physicians. The TMA’s mission is to improve the health of all Texans through advocacy, education, and legislative action. The local chapter includes Burnet, Llano, and Lampasas counties.
“Physicians are community leaders—we always have been—and so we need to grasp that power and use it to leverage better care for our patients,” said Dr. Kelly Green, a Marble Falls ophthalmologist and member of the local chapter. “When we hear from the TMA president about what they are doing, it allows us to learn more and get more involved.”
One of the central themes of Callas’ address was the importance of physician leadership and scope of practice.
“Patients deserve to have physician leadership,” he said during the presentation. “We have to decide, ‘Are we going to be the ones leading medicine? Or are we going to let the nurse practitioners lead and just sign stuff?’”
A key concern raised was Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Callas emphasized the TMA’s efforts to advocate for fair payment policies, warning that without correcting the ongoing reductions in Medicare payments, many physicians could be forced to close their practices.
“If we don’t correct Medicare, you might as well just give up your practice because Medicare affects everyone,” he said.
The discussion also delved into the complex topic of women’s reproductive health, an area that has had significant legislative and political challenges in recent years.
“I’m not talking politics. (Legislation) went too far to where physicians are scared to deliver care for the most vulnerable people,” Callas said.
Throughout his address, Callas stressed the importance of physician unity and engagement in advocacy efforts, recognizing the medical profession must stand together to protect the interests of both physicians and their patients.
“We gotta continue to fight for medicine, and we got to make sure that we’re going to take care of these patients and not put our jobs to the side and just sign paperwork,” he said.
Callas added how members of the public can support TMA initiatives.
“They can talk to their legislators and talk to their physicians to be educated and to make sure that we can make Texas healthier,” he said.
To learn more about the Texas Medical Association or get involved, visit texmed.org.