Texas Has a Health Care Access Crisis; These Two Bills Could Help Solve It

Tanya Marin, a pediatric nurse practitioner, wanted to open her own clinic in El Paso. But when she looked into the requirements, Marin discovered that state law required her to shell out anywhere from $20,000 to over $100,000 to get a doctor to oversee her operation.Frustrated, Marin took matters into her own hands — over the state line. Eighteen months ago, she opened her own pediatric night clinic in Santa Teresa, N.M., less than one mile from the Texas border. She's among dozens of trained nurse practitioners that New Mexico, a state without a pay-to-play requirement, has been able to steal away from Texas. "I'm now working to my full capacity,'' she says.  Continue reading...