The Houston Business Journal reported that several Texas Medical Center facilities are touting high ratings in the latest U.S. News & World Report survey of America's best hospitals.

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center was ranked the top hospital in the nation for cancer care for the fourth time in the past five years. It has been ranked one of the top two cancer hospitals for 18 years.

The Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital ranked number seven among heart and heart surgery centers. It has scored among the top 10 such facilities for 18 years.

The Methodist Hospital ranked among the top 50 U.S. hospitals in 12 specialties, more than any other hospital in Texas. Five of its specialties rank among the top 20 hospitals.

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Congressman Culberson strongly supports physician pay increases under Medicare and believes the entire formula determining physician reimbursement should be revised. Unfortunately, the Democrats continue to insist on bringing up a bill that would gut Medicare Advantage, denying coverage to over 1,200 seniors in District 7. Medicare Advantage's private-fee-for service plans gives seniors the opportunity to see any doctor they choose rather than Medicare’s limited provider network.

On June 26, Congressman Culberson, along with 68 of his House colleagues, sent a letter to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley asking them to bring a responsible bill to the Senate floor that would reverse the decline in the Medicare physician reimbursement and not raid Medicare Advantage's private-fee-for service coverage. The letter states: "All of us are committed to ensuring that our physicians can continue to practice across the country and provide the best care to our seniors. Without adequate reimbursement and certainty about the reimbursements they are going to receive, we fear that many doctors will simply be unable to see new Medicare patients. We cannot allow these cuts to take effect. Our seniors deserve better, and our physicians deserve better." Congressman Culberson will continue advocating an increase in their Medicare reimbursement so that physicians are not punished for serving Medicare patients.

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Small businesses in Galveston County now have access to an innovative health benefit program being run by the University of Texas Medical Branch. Under the 3-Share plan, employers, employees, and UTMB each pay one-third of the monthly health insurance cost. The 3-Share is the first of its kind in Texas, and allows qualified small business owners in Galveston County to provide health benefits to their employees. UTMB received a grant from the Houston Endowment, allowing them the opportunity to pilot a two-year program and provide health insurance to the working uninsured. Several cities in Texas, including Houston, are looking at Galveston County's 3-Share model to provide more Texans with access to health insurance.

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Congressman Culberson joins with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in encouraging women to make their health a top priority and taking simple steps for a longer, healthier and happier life.

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Members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate joined together on Wednesday for the second time this legislative session to award the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor to Houston’s Michael Ellis DeBakey.

Born in 1908, Michael DeBakey has made immeasurable contributions to the medical field as an inventor, educator, researcher and statesman. Arguably, he is most noted for his Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.) units, which allowed wounded soldiers to be treated on the front, rather than losing precious time returning to the base for medical attention. Implemented in World War II, M.A.S.H. units have saved thousands of lives in combat and prompted the creation of trauma centers in major hospitals.

After serving in the war, Dr. DeBakey moved to Houston in 1948 and was named Chairman of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He shifted his innovative focus to the treatment of heart disease and cardiovascular surgery. He developed Dacron artificial arteries, performed the first aorto-coronary bypass surgery, and pioneered the use of an artificial heart and the first heart transplant procedures. It was during this time that Dr. DeBakey was instrumental in establishing the prestigious Houston Medical Center as we know it today. He passionately encouraged collaboration among major hospitals, doctors and researchers to provide the best care for patients.

Houston also attributes its V.A. Hospital to the meticulous work of Michael DeBakey. Again in 1948, President Truman called for the Veterans’ Administration to oversee the Navy hospital. DeBakey supported the idea and helped create a new system that ensured veterans returning home from service would receive follow-up care. Houstonians know the facility as the Michael DeBakey V.A. Medical Center.

Dr. DeBakey was recognized not only for these and other contributions, but also for his public service on the national scale. The National Library of Medicine was created under his leadership, and serves an indispensable tool for the NIH and the medical field at large. He has served in several administrations as a Presidential advisor, starting with President Lyndon Johnson. Beyond the U.S., he has served as a medical consultant to foreign countries, offering his expertise to health care administrators worldwide.

For these efforts, Congress stood together to honor one of our nation’s heroes. The city of Houston is especially grateful for the boundless passion, selfless devotion and remarkable contributions of Michael DeBakey.

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