CPM Spring 2019 - 31

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Next Steps
Next Steps
The stakeholder group will identify a bill
The Senate will return to session
sponsor that will lead to the circulation of a on April 8, 2019. It is uncertain
co-sponsorship memo and the bill's introduc- when the Senate will consider SB 25.
tion within the Pa. House of Representatives.
We encourage physicians to reach out to
their legislators to meet with them on this
TEAM-BASED CARE AND SCOPE
issue and educate them as to why this is a
OF PRACTICE
bad idea for patient care in Pennsylvania. Get
your legislators' contact information here.
Background
Some things are just better together, and
physicians and health care team members
are no different. PAMED strongly opposes
any legislation that does not keep physicians as the leader of the health care team.
Currently, Pa. law requires certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs) to have a
collaborative agreement with a physician. As
organizations representing CRNPs pursue
policy changes that would give these practitioners the authority to practice without
a collaborative agreement with a physician,
PAMED remains committed to opposing
this legislation.
Current Status
In a letter sent to members of the Pa.
Senate Consumer Protection and Professional
Licensure Committee on March 25, 2019,
PAMED expressed our strong opposition
to SB 25, which passed out of committee
on March 27, 2019. Senators Mike Regan
and John Gordner opposed this bill. If
you are in their district, please thank them
for their support. You can read the letter
PAMED sent to the Senate committee here.
In a letter sent to Pa. House members on
Feb. 11, 2019, PAMED expressed our strong
opposition to Rep. Jesse Topper's proposal
(HCO 854) . The Pennsylvania Chapter of
the American Academy of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of
Physicians, Pennsylvania Academy of Family
Physicians, and Pennsylvania Osteopathic
Medical Association signed on to our letter
and joined PAMED in opposing this effort.
Read the letter here.

Next Steps
There have been many changes in insurance
coverage and health delivery over the past 20
years. The Provider Coalition strongly encourages the Pa. House Insurance Committee to
hold a future hearing on network adequacy
requirements and potential updates to the law.
MAINTENANCE OF
CERTIFICATION (MOC)

The PAMED government relations team
continues to educate legislators and the public Background
regarding our concerns with this legislation.
While physicians are committed
to lifelong learning, the current MOC
PAMED is exploring the idea of hosting process is burdensome for physicians.
a stakeholders meeting in the near future
at our office in Harrisburg to discuss our
The American Board of Medical Specialties'
collective strategy related to scope of prac- (ABMS) Vision for the Future Commission
tice issues. Physician leadership of county on MOC reform released its final report
and specialty medical societies will be in- and recommendations in February 2019.
vited to attend should it come to fruition. PAMED Past President Charles Cutler,
MD, MACP, is one of 26 members who
participated in the Vision Commission.
NARROW NETWORKS/ANY
WILLING PROVIDER/OUT-OF-NETThe report offers recommendations that the
WORK BALANCE BILLING
ABMS and ABMS Boards should consider
implementing in the near-term (i.e. one
to two years) or within an intermediate
Background
timeframe (i.e. less than five years). Of note
PAMED believes that patient protections is the recommendation that ABMS must
from "surprise" and other out-of-network encourage hospitals, health systems, payers,
health care billings should begin by addressing and other health care organizations not to
the root cause of the problem - tiered and nar- deny credentialing or privileging to a physirow health insurance provider networks as well cian solely on the basis of certification status.
as a lack of insurance product transparency.
On March 12, 2019, the ABMS Board
An informational meeting took place announced a plan to begin implementing
on Feb. 5, 2019, within the Pa. House the Vision Commission's suggestions.
Insurance Committee. The Pennsylvania
College of Emergency Physicians and the Current Status
Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists On a webinar hosted by AAMSE on April 1,
submitted testimony.
2019, Dr. Richard Hawkins of ABMS shared
that all 24 ABMS Boards have committed
Current Status
to identifying alternatives to the high stakes
PAMED continues to participate in exams and having alternatives identified by
monthly Provider Coalition meetings the end of 2019 so that the alternative options
to advance legislation and strengthen are in place by 2020.
communications between stakeholders.
Continued on page 32

Central PA Medicine Spring 2019 31

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CPM Spring 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CPM Spring 2019