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Affordability and accessibility continue to be central motifs for insurance-related legislation at the Texas Legislature. This session, significant pieces of legislation were also passed involving modernization and price transparency, particularly as they relate to pharmaceutical costs.

When it comes to insurance legislation, there is an old adage: If you aren’t talking about accessibility and affordability, no one is listening. That tenet, coupled with the pressing public policy issues of rising health care costs and the impact of Hurricane Harvey, proved to be central motifs of passed legislation for the 86th Texas Legislature. With so many insurance-related bills passing this session, the article below is to be viewed as a summary of the more significant legislation. All bills are effective September 1, 2019, unless otherwise indicated.

Now that the dust is settling on the midterm elections, we can see two distinct takeaways. First, the “blue wave” was more of a ripple. Texas is not on the verge of turning blue. Second, and make no mistake about it, the voters in this year’s midterm elections sent a clear message to their elected officials.

President Donald Trump recently announced his appointment to fill the vacated United States Supreme Court seat: Brett Kavanaugh, a judge who sits on the U.S. Supreme Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Almost immediately, Outrage, Inc. — left-wing advocates and their allies — fired up their hyperbole machine and argued that Kavanaugh would send us to the end of days. What has been the result of this initial bluster and saber-rattling? Not much. The manufactured character hits have ultimately harmed the left’s credibility and increased support for Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the United States Supreme Court.

The Upload with the RX Professor, Mark Pew, interviews Ryan Brannan, former State of Texas Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation and Principal at the Brannan Firm.

Two lessons this runoff election taught us: voter turnout – or lack thereof – means the “blue wave” we were all told is coming, isn’t; and moderate Republicans winning Texas House races puts a bigger spotlight on the speaker’s race next legislative session.