The aspiration to "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) presents a critical question for policymakers and public health advocates: what does this ambition truly entail, who will spearhead the effort, and where will these transformative changes take root? While the national conversation around health policy often grapples with broad objectives, a pragmatic model for achieving tangible progress is emerging at the state level, specifically in Texas. The recent success of the "Make Texans Healthy Again" (MTHA) initiative offers valuable insights into how incremental, focused reforms can pave the way for improved health outcomes and increased access to care.
The Organic & Natural Health Association recently had the distinct honor of hosting Travis McCormick, the founder of the Make Texans Healthy Again association and movement, at their annual conference. McCormick’s presentation detailed the organization’s strategic approach and its demonstrable achievements, illustrating that substantial reforms, even if incremental, are indeed attainable. This approach, characterized by focused action and collaboration, may represent the most effective and expeditious pathway to enhancing health equity and outcomes across the nation.
The Genesis and Strategy of Make Texans Healthy Again
Following the 2024 elections, Texas witnessed the adoption and adaptation of a health agenda tailored to the specific needs of its residents. Make Texans Healthy Again was established as an advocacy organization dedicated to advancing state-level policies that champion prevention, foster improved nutrition and fitness, and promote transparency, affordability, access, and freedom within the healthcare and nutrition sectors. The organization’s mission is rooted in the belief that a healthier populace is foundational to a thriving state.
MTHA’s strategic framework is built upon four primary objectives, designed to create a comprehensive approach to public health:
- Prioritizing Prevention: Shifting the focus from reactive treatment to proactive measures that prevent disease and promote well-being. This includes investing in public health infrastructure, educational campaigns, and access to preventive screenings.
- Improving Nutrition and Fitness: Advocating for policies that encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity. This can encompass initiatives like improving access to nutritious foods in underserved communities, promoting physical education in schools, and supporting community-based fitness programs.
- Promoting Transparency in Healthcare and Nutrition: Ensuring that consumers have clear and accurate information about the cost, quality, and ingredients of healthcare services and food products. This objective aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
- Enhancing Affordability, Access, and Freedom: Working to make healthcare and nutritious options more accessible and affordable for all Texans, while safeguarding individual autonomy in health-related choices. This involves addressing systemic barriers that limit access and exploring innovative solutions to reduce costs.
A Model of Legislative Success: The Texas Experience
The Make Texans Healthy Again initiative launched its advocacy efforts just one month prior to the commencement of the 2025 legislative session, operating without a dedicated staff or a substantial budget. Despite these constraints, the organization achieved remarkable success, passing 10 of its 15 top legislative priorities and seeing 25 of the bills it supported enacted into law. This track record demonstrates a potent ability to translate advocacy into concrete policy changes.
Key legislative victories for MTHA include:
- Expansion of Telehealth Services: Legislation was passed to broaden the scope and accessibility of telehealth services, particularly for rural and underserved populations. This initiative aims to overcome geographical barriers to healthcare access and improve convenience for patients.
- Nutritional Education Initiatives: New programs were funded and implemented to enhance nutritional education in public schools and community centers, with a particular focus on promoting whole foods and reducing consumption of ultra-processed items.
- Increased Transparency in Food Labeling: New regulations were enacted requiring clearer and more comprehensive labeling of food products, including information on ingredient sourcing and potential allergens. This empowers consumers with greater knowledge to make healthier choices.
- Support for Preventative Health Screenings: Bills were passed to increase access to and insurance coverage for essential preventative health screenings, such as cancer screenings and metabolic panels, encouraging early detection and intervention.
- Streamlined Access to Fitness Programs: Policies were developed to facilitate greater integration of fitness and wellness programs within community health centers and employer-sponsored health plans, promoting a holistic approach to well-being.
The success of MTHA in Texas stands in stark contrast to the often-complex and sometimes less impactful landscape of federal health policy initiatives. The federal MAHA movement, for instance, resulted in the formation of a commission and the production of a blueprint. While this document mentioned "nutrient" 18 times, its focus on the vague definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and limited discussion of specific micronutrients like Vitamin D, or the analysis of contaminants like glyphosate, highlights a divergence in approach. The federal report noted that the USDA found 99% of food samples tested in 2023 complied with EPA safety limits for glyphosate, a statistic that, while factual, offers little in the way of actionable policy for immediate public health improvement.
The influence of agricultural and pharmaceutical interests on decision-making within Congress and federal agencies is a well-acknowledged reality. This dynamic can often lead to policies that are perceived as serving established industries rather than prioritizing the immediate health needs of the populace. The Organic & Natural Health Association, for example, has documented the effectiveness of Vitamin D in reducing preterm births on military bases, a critical public health issue. However, securing federal funding for such initiatives and for dedicated research into the benefits of Vitamin D for active-duty military personnel has proven to be an arduous and often unrewarding process. This experience underscores the challenges of navigating the federal legislative and regulatory environment.
Lessons for the Natural Products Industry and Beyond
The success of the Make Texans Healthy Again movement offers valuable lessons for the natural products industry and for anyone engaged in health policy advocacy. It demonstrates that effective health policy can transcend partisan divides, resonating with a broad spectrum of politicians who are genuinely committed to improving the health and well-being of their constituents. The focus on tangible benefits for people—legislators and their communities—appears to be a more potent driver than abstract policy debates.
The language of health reform that is gaining traction at the state level often aligns with the core tenets of the natural products industry: a focus on prevention, nutrition, and consumer empowerment. This shared ground presents an opportunity for greater collaboration and influence. The organic and natural health sector can learn from MTHA’s model of identifying specific, achievable goals and building broad coalitions to advance them.
The stark difference in outcomes between the Texas legislative session and federal efforts highlights a potential strategic shift. While abandoning federal advocacy entirely may not be the optimal solution, the Texas experience suggests that a more concentrated focus on state-level initiatives could yield more immediate and impactful results. State legislators often have a more direct connection to their constituents and are more responsive to their immediate needs. Furthermore, a significant number of state legislators aspire to serve in Congress, and policy frameworks developed at the state level can influence national discourse.
Organizations such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) play a crucial role in shaping policy discussions among elected state officials. Their engagement on health-related issues can serve as a conduit for disseminating successful state-level models and fostering broader adoption of evidence-based health policies.
The "Building New Bridges to Opportunity" theme of the Organic & Natural Health Association’s conference underscores the potential for creating new alliances and fostering movements that can take root and grow. By actively participating in the policy-making process at the state level, the natural products industry can contribute to building a more robust and health-conscious future. This involves not only advocating for specific products or ingredients but also championing the broader principles of preventive health and informed consumer choice.
The Road Ahead: Amplifying the Texas Model
The journey towards a healthier America is a complex one, fraught with systemic challenges and competing interests. However, the success of Make Texans Healthy Again provides a compelling roadmap for those seeking to effect meaningful change. By embracing an incremental, yet strategic, approach, focusing on tangible policy objectives, and fostering broad-based collaboration, advocates can build momentum and achieve progress that truly benefits the health and well-being of the nation. The Texas model serves as a potent reminder that significant advancements in public health are not only possible but are actively being realized through dedicated, state-level action. The challenge now is to learn from this success and replicate it across the country, creating a healthier future for all Americans.