IN THIS ISSUE:    A Note from the Chairman  HOSPAC, THT Join THA to Honor Rep. Pitts Next Reception: Oct. 14 in Houston Fundraising Update   Make Your Voice Heard ... Join HOSPAC! HOSPAC Notes is a periodic publication of the Texas Hospital Association's Political Action Committee, 1108 Lavaca, Suite 700, Austin, Texas 78701, 512/465-1047. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Lisa Kepple  Director, HOSPAC Jennifer O'Neil Public Affairs Specialist Amanda Engler Managing Editor Kathy Li Production Editor

A Note from the Chairman   Steve Sanders This is the time of year when many elected officials and candidates are throwing their hats in ring for the 2010 election cycle. Even though the March 2 Primary Election is months away and the General Election is not until Nov. 3 next fall, now is when candidates must begin campaigning for office. Dec. 3 is the first day candidates may file to run in the Primary Election; the deadline to file is Jan. 4.       Those seeking re-election as well as those seeking their first term in office must work tirelessly in their districts to build the important relationships needed to win the support and – ultimately – the votes necessary to reach their goals. HOSPAC also is working now to carefully show its support for legislators who have worked to improve health care policy in the past and those who can help in the future. HOSPAC’s Board of Directors, along with input from THA staff and HOSPAC’s leadership level members, continually analyzes the political environment in each district to build and maintain effective relationships with current and potential legislators.       The primary goal for HOSPAC is to help hospital-friendly candidates win election to office. Your membership supports these candidates who, as elected officials, will listen to our concerns and work with us toward solutions when they get to Austin or Washington. This is how your HOSPAC membership dollars truly make a difference! Steve Sanders Chairman, HOSPAC Board of Directors Serving with Sanders is the HOSPAC Board of Directors.  HOSPAC, THT Join THA to Honor Rep. Pitts  From left to right: Steve Sanders, chairman of HOSPAC and chief executive officer of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital; Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie); John Hawkins, senior vice president of advocacy and public policy for the Texas Hospital Association; Rosemary Burns, sister of Rep. Pitts and incoming chair of the Texas Healthcare Trustees; and Joel Allison, FACHE, president/CEO of Baylor Health Care System in Dallas. HOSPAC members welcomed Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie), chairman of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, as the special guest speaker at the HOSPAC Leadership Reception held during the Texas Healthcare Trustees Annual Conference, Aug. 6 in Austin.      HOSPAC President’s Council member, Joel Allison, FACHE, president/CEO of Baylor Health Care System, was on hand to present the award to Rep. Pitts, a long-time supporter of hospitals, with his second THA Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award, which honors the top state legislators who are highly supportive of issues important to hospitals and health systems during legislative sessions. During the 2009 session, Rep. Pitts was instrumental in crafting a responsible budget – despite a projected $10 billion shortfall –which still provided $3 billion to cover the 2009 Medicaid shortfall and projected Medicaid costs for 2010-2011. Rep. Pitts also ensured that some $50 million was in the budget to help address the nursing shortage, and he authored other health care legislation important to hospitals. Steve Sanders and Peggy Allison, winner of the inaugural HOSPAC Star Trustee Award.          Almost 100 Texas health care leaders and trustees attended the event, including: Peggy Allison, trustee, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio; Michael Arvin, senior vice president, Methodist Health System; Anna Barber, director, regional services, Baylor Health Care System; Ed Berger, vice president, advocacy and government relations, Seton Family of Hospitals; Sister Helen Brewer, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Seton Family of Hospitals; Harris Brooks, CEO, Palo Pinto General Hospital; Rosemary Burns, trustee, ETMC Athens (and sister of Rep. Pitts!); Bryan Chandler, director of business development, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas; Jennifer Cutrer, executive director of public affairs, Parkland Health & Hospital System; Christine De Gree, vice president, Power Station LLC; Gene Deutscher, vice president, Lone Star Circle of Care; Charles Durant, vice president/COO, Seton Northwest Hospital; George Hill, vice president of managed care, Community Hospital Corporation; Evelyn Moore, director, OakBend Medical Center; Chuck Norris, CEO, Memorial Hospital in Gonzales; David Pearson, president/CEO, Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals; Vicki Perkins, chief government relations officer, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care; Jan Reed, CEO, Electra Memorial Hospital; Francine Rowe, trustee, Electra Memorial Hospital; HOSPAC Chairman Steve Sanders, north market leader of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System and CEO, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital; Scott Schmidly, COO, Medical City Dallas Hospital; Rebekah Schroeder, government relations liaison, Texas Children’s Hospital; Bryan Sperry, president, Children’s Hospital Association of Texas; Andy Stern, trustee, Medical City Dallas; Pat Wallace, FACHE, administrator, ETMC Athens; Jaime Wesolowski, president and CEO, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio; and many others.     At another special event during the THT Annual Conference, Steve Sanders took the opportunity to present the inaugural HOSPAC Star Trustee Award to Peggy Allison in appreciation for her long-term support and hard work for HOSPAC. The Star Award will be presented annually to one outstanding hospital executive or organization and one outstanding hospital governing board member. For more information, contact Lisa Kepple, HOSPAC Director, at 512/465-1047 or lkepple@tha.org. Next Reception: Oct. 14 in Houston  If you haven’t made your 2009 membership contribution yet, now is a good time to do so.  HOSPAC’s next Leadership Reception will be Oct. 14 at the Hotel ZaZa in Houston! Rep. John Zerwas, M.D. (R-Richmond) – a 2009 Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award winner – will be the guest speaker and he will accept his award at this very special event.      Rep. Zerwas, in his second term representing House District 28, currently serves on the House Appropriations and Public Health committees. As chair of the Article II Subcommittee for the House Appropriations Committee, he oversaw the crafting of the state’s health and human services budget for the next biennium. Drawing on his experience as both a physician and hospital governing board member, he authored legislation on a number of health care initiatives, including organ donation, licensure of freestanding emergency centers, health information technology, surgical technologist certification and health plan coverage for clinical trials.     Watch your mail and inbox for more details soon – or RSVP online now! Be sure to make your HOSPAC leadership level contribution by Oct. 12 so that you can be listed as a member of the host committee for this event. See you in Houston!   Fundraising Update HOSPAC is making progress, but more funds are needed to meet the 2009 goal of $267,000. Visit www.HOSPAC.org or call HOSPAC Director Lisa Kepple at 512/465-1047 for more information on how you can join your colleagues to help HOSPAC reach its goal.   Contributions and Pledges as of Sept. 14:* Overall:   $171,580 (64% of $267,000 goal) State PAC:   $ 97,419 (81% of $121,000 goal) Federal PAC:  $ 63,000 (52% of $121,000 goal) CORP PAC:  $ 11,160 (45% of $25,000 goal)  * Most recent pledges/deposits received prior to publication. Back to top

According to Texas Government Code 305.02, portions of this material may be considered “legislative advertising.” Authorization for its publication is made by John Hawkins, senior vice president of government and public affairs,
Texas Hospital Association,
P.O. Box 679010, Austin, Texas 78767-9010.

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