Rick and health care in Texas...

Jason Embry and Corrie MacLaggan have a long story about Rick, Texas, and health care (link). There is the predictable stuff about Texas having a high rate of uninsured... but it also adds a hint of an endorsement from a State Representative. Excerpt follows...

Others find signs of progress, however, including a sharp increase in the number of doctors receiving licenses, widely attributed to "tort reform," restrictions the state imposed on lawsuits. In addition, Perry-supported efforts have made it easier for small businesses to join together to buy insurance and reduce costs.

"Under Governor Perry's leadership, we have continued to address in a reasonable way the ever-increasing health care needs that Texas has," said state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, who is an anesthesiologist.

That almost makes it sound like Zerwas is a spokesman for Rick. I expected to hear a slew of endorsements come out for Kay after the legislative session ended... but that never did materialize.

Another excerpt...

Texas has seen an increase in the number of doctors in the state, which Perry and many doctors attribute to the 2003 approval of a constitutional amendment limiting jury awards in medical malpractice cases. The Texas Medical Board issued 2,088 physician licenses in 2001. In 2008, it issued 3,621 licenses.

In his 2005 State of the State address, Perry touted the impact of the constitutional amendment. "Doctors are returning to areas once deemed high-risk, hospitals are seeing double-digit declines in their insurance costs, and patient access is improving because the personal injury trial lawyers are no longer calling the shots when it comes to Texas' health care," Perry's prepared remarks said.

More doctors due to tort reform was a bold thing Rick did, and even his biggest detractors who support Kay or libertarians are usually willing to give him props for it.

The article is pretty good in terms of talking about the health care issue, but I think it left a little to be desired in terms of explaining what Rick wants to do at the state level versus the federal level...