Texas Association of Business

AUSTIN – The political arm of the Texas Association of Business, the Business and Commerce Political Action Committee (BACPAC), is proud to announce its endorsements for the 2010 general election. Endorsements are as follows:

Railroad Commissioner: David Porter

US House: Joe Barton (CD-6)

Bill Flores (CD-17)

Randy Neugebauer (CD-19)

Pete Olson (CD-22)

Francisco “Quico” Canseco (CD-23)

Donna Campbell (CD-25)

Henry Cuellar (CD-28)

Texas Senate: Glenn Hegar (SD-18)

Brian Birdwell (SD-22)

Texas House: Erwin Cain (HD-3)

Lance Gooden (HD-4)

David Simpson (HD-7)

Byron Cook (HD-8) …

Austin -- The following statement may be attributed toTexas Association of BusinessPresident Bill Hammond:



“I read a recent Associated Press article in horror as former Houston Mayor Bill White made it clear that he was open to the idea of raising taxes as a method to address transportation funding.  

 

“It is obvious that Bill White wants to import the very same anti-business, anti-jobs ideas that have left California in absolute shambles.  Bill White’s transportation funding scheme would cost jobs and topple the best business climate in the nation.



“Through…

Austin – The Texas Association of Business (TAB) and the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) joined Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa), Chair of the House Rural Caucus, to voice opposition to the proposal before the current Texas Board of Medical Examiners requiring a patient who receives a telemedicine consultation to see a physician within 72-hours. The rule would cripple telemedicine and its benefit to those in underserved areas.

“Telemedicine has enabled access to health care for families who would ordinarily have to drive for hours on end to receive a simple diagnosis,”…

On the heels of allegations last week by former employees of the Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation that their higher-ups have failed to sanction or remove dozens of doctors accused of overtreatment and overbilling, Texas lawmakers are pledging to investigate the consequences for patient care and the state’s finances. In addition, sources say the Division’s lead enforcement attorney has resigned, bringing to six the number of employees who’ve exited the Division’s medical oversight and enforcement staff since February.

The Texa…

The Stimulus Evidence One Year On

Over five years, my research shows an extra $600 billion of public spending at the cost of $900 billion in private expenditure. That's a bad deal.

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The first anniversary of the Obama stimulus package generated a lot of discussion about whether and how much the package (originally estimated at $787 billion but now priced at $862 billion) moderated the recession. These are complex questions, and their answers require more than merely counting the quantity of goods and services that the government purchased or the number of people that the gov…

'Perverse incentive' in current health care system, says expert

By Jennifer Hyde and Drew Griffin, CNN Special

McAllen, Texas (CNN) -- Even as the health care debate turns to blood sport in Washington, some analysts say the debate is ignoring one of the leading causes of rising costs: the way health care providers are paid.

"They are rewarded for more services, not better services. They are rewarded for more care, not better care," said Dr. Elliott Fisher, a lead researcher for the Dartmouth University Atlas of Health. "Most of the U.S. health system is paid simply for each service, regardle…