We want more Texans insured by their employers.

What we do:

How you can help:

How we do it:

We have already started researching and organizing for the 2023 Texas Legislative Session. We will advise policymakers on ways to improve access to affordable group healthcare plans for small businesses, maintain the choice of workers comp insurance, and ensure just unemployment insurance policies.

How we do it:

How you can help:

How we do it:

TEIR founder, Bill Hammond, has played an integral role in Texas politics for more than 40 years. Utilizing his expansive network and invaluable experience as a former state representative, we will advocate for measures that make insurance more affordable for small businesses and oppose those that increase costs or add unncessary mandates.

How you can help:

The quickest way to get involved is to sign our petition. Your support shows legislators there is a public interest in healthcare reform for small businesses. Looking to stay involved? Click the option to become a member before you submit your signature. We'll send you monthly updates on current events, our projects, and opportunities to get involved throughout the year.

Legislative Agenda: Areas of Focus

1. Group Health Insurance

Our Goal: Maintain and increase employers' access, value, and affordability of health insurance policies.

Expand the scope of practice for nurse practitioners and others deemed appropriate.
Fund physician residencies to alleviate doctor shortages.
Investigate possible anti-trust violations by physician groups and hospitals related to possible predatory pricing.
Monitor possible fraudulent activities of fake emergency rooms and encourage HHSC to take appropriate action.
Prevent further restrictions on the prior authorization process.
Stop "formulary freeze" or "any willing provider" legislation.

2. Workers Compensation Insurance

Our Goal: Foster a healthy market with competitive workers comp insurance rates.

Fight for business owners to have the choice of purchasing WCI

3. Unemployment Insurance

Our Goal: Provide unemployment insurance to anyone who has lost their job at no fault while they look for a new position.

Maintain Texas' status as one of the highest ranking states for UI policy
Calculate a financial projection for each bill relating to UI, showing the estimated cost to employers as they will be footing the bill
Tighten regulations on the UI system to prevent beneficiaries from working cash jobs and/or not actively applying for work while collecting insurance

Policy Concepts Explained

Please reach us at GrahamMediaManagement@gmail.com if you cannot find the information you are looking for.

"Any Willing Provider" Legislation

If your doctor accepts your insurance, it is because they have worked out a contract with the insurance company ahead of time. This contract requires the medical facility to uphold a certain standard of care and for the insurer to always pay for the patient’s insured care. Your insurance company and the medical facilities enter into this agreement voluntarily. This allows both parties to work only with companies that meet their business standards.

Under Any Willing Provider Legislation, insurance companies MUST work with any care provider that meets certain conditions, even without ample evidence that these providers can offer quality care to each patient. Such legislation results in more expensive healthcare plans across the board because insurance companies have no choice regarding the organizations they partner with, putting many cost variables out of their control.

Formulary Legislation

A drug formulary is a list of approved prescription medications created by a committee of medical professionals. These lists, or formularies, vary between providers. For example, if you have ever gotten a generic prescription from the pharmacy, it is most likely because the name brand wasn’t listed on your insurance’s formulary.

Freezing the formulary is a phrase used by policymakers to describe legislation that prevents these drug lists from being altered or added to for an indefinite amount of time. The justification is that doing so will prevent unexpected fluctuation in prices for customers, but the true motivation lies elsewhere.

Who wants to freeze the formulary? Big pharma.

Why? Formularies are carefully crafted through extensive planning and negotiations between insurance and pharmaceutical companies in attempt to maximize profit. When more affordable, more effective medications hit the market, pharmaceutical companies don’t wan’t the competition. Freezing the formulary prevents patients from even having access to other options.

What will happen if they succeed? No new drugs can be added to the formulary, so there is no incentive to lower prices or improve quality. It will also delay affordable access to new lifesaving mediations that might become available after the freeze is implemented.

We want more Texans insured by their employers.

What we do:

How you can help:

How we do it:

How we do it:

How you can help:

How we do it:

How you can help:

How you can help:

How you can help:

Legislative Agenda: Areas of Focus

1. Group Health Insurance

2. Workers Compensation Insurance

3. Unemployment Insurance

Policy Concepts Explained

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