Quick recap

Duane reported on the state's special session and proposed transitioning the meeting to a legislative planning committee to prepare for the next session by developing priorities in key areas including treatment access, HHSC rules revision, and sunset review. The committee will focus on gathering member feedback, encouraging direct engagement with legislators, and organizing work into categories to facilitate participation and track progress. Noelle will invite members to participate in the newly structured meetings while Guillermo suggested bringing additional staff to help with advocacy efforts and shared plans for an October trip to DC to advocate against federal funding changes.

Next steps

• Duane to prepare and send out meeting agenda at least one week in advance

• Duane to locate and share previous ASP rule comments/submissions

• Sherry to be contacted regarding locating previous ASP rule comments

• Guillermo to search for complementary rule comments on their side

• Noel to reach out to members to reinvite them with new meeting structure

• Noel to send out broader participation request for more attendees

• Noel to have Catherine send out membership list to Guillermo for DC trip planning

• ASP members to develop legislative priorities ideas for next session

• ASP members to identify 5 most impactful negative rules requiring changes

• ASP members to prepare for HHS sunset process and review self-evaluation report when published

• ASP members to plan outreach to legislators in their districts starting in November

• ASP members to identify specific legislative priorities before district meetings

  
  

Summary

Legislative Planning Session Preparation

Duane reports that the state is in a special session, which is expected to be one of several, with no bills likely to pass in the current one as Democrats will hold out for two weeks until it expires. He suggests transitioning the meeting from networking to a legislative planning committee to prepare for the next session. Duane outlines that the group should focus on developing legislative priorities, noting that "it's never too early to start planning."

Legislative Priorities for Healthcare Access

Duane discusses four key areas for the legislative committee to focus on: increasing access to treatment through creative initiatives, addressing rules revision with HHSC, preparing for the HHSC sunset review process, and a fourth area not fully described in the transcript. He shares examples of past successful legislative efforts that didn't require state funding but improved access to care, including repealing insurance code provisions that hindered emergency room screenings and adding outpatient treatment benefits to Medicaid. Duane emphasizes the need for member feedback on HHSC rules, noting that some regulations impose costly burdens without statutory basis, and mentions that the HHSC sunset evaluation report will likely be available in September or October.

Legislative Engagement Strategy Planning

Duane emphasizes the importance of encouraging ASAP members to engage directly with legislators in their districts, with Noel identifying this as a priority. He suggests starting meetings with Dallas area legislators in November but stresses the need to establish legislative priorities for the 2027 session beforehand. Guillermo agrees with Duane's timeline and suggests organizing the committee's work into categories to facilitate participation and track progress. He also highlights the importance of preventing harmful legislation, noting that this defensive work can sometimes be more significant than achieving positive outcomes.

Provider Engagement and Advocacy Planning

Duane outlines a plan to address issues with providers, focusing on gathering ideas and setting up a structured approach with agendas sent in advance. Noelle will reach out to invite members to participate in the newly structured meetings, and Guillermo suggests organizations bring additional staff to help with advocacy efforts and prepare future leaders. The group discusses locating ASAP's previous responses to proposed rules, and Guillermo shares plans for an October trip to DC to advocate against changes to block grant funding and agency consolidation at the federal level.