House Passes Health Care Reform Bill
In a rare, late Saturday session on November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, by a 220-215 vote. A summary of the House-passed bill may be viewed here. HR 3962 removes current barriers to care provided by PAs by allowing PAs to order skilled nursing facility care and to provide hospice care for Medicare patients. Additionally, the House bill reauthorizes the Title VII Health Professions Programs of the Public Health Service Act, the only federal source of funding for PA educational programs. The bill fully integrates PAs into new medical home and chronic care management models of care.Senate Action
The Senate expects to receive a score this week from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on the merged Finance and HELP Committee bills and begin debate on the bill next week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) goal is to pass the bill by the end of the year and complete a House-Senate Conference Committee by the end of January.
AMA Continues Commitment to Health Reform
The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates convened in Houston, Texas for their 2009 mid-year meeting on November 7-10. Calling this a “defining moment” for the AMA, President J. James Rohack, MD outlined seven critical elements that the AMA sees as essential to achieving meaningful health system reform: cover all Americans; expand choice and eliminate denials based on “pre-existing” conditions; protect the patient-physician relationship; promote quality, prevention and wellness; repeal the Medicare physician payment formula; reduce defensive medicine and streamline administrative processes. The AMA offered its support of HR 3962, the “Affordable Health Care for American Act” which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives as the AMA Delegates were meeting in Houston. AMA delegates engaged in spirited debate regarding HR 3962. President Rohack acknowledged that HR 3962 is not the perfect bill and that the AMA will continue to advocate for changes that help make the system better for patients and physicians as the legislative process continues. A major focus of AMA advocacy efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives now turns to support for HR 3961, the “Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009.” The AAPA has official observer status in the AMA House of Delegates. Mary Ettari, MPH, PA-C, a past-president of the Academy currently serves as our official liaison to the AMA.
Health Affairs and RWJ Health Policy Brief
Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a new health policy brief this week on the public insurance option contained in the House-passed health care reform bill. The brief describes how the plan would work, as well as the views of supporters and opponents of the public plan. To learn more click here.H1N1 News from the FDA
On November 10, Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, released an open letter to health care professionals on the development of the H1N1 vaccine. She thanked health care professionals for their work thus far in responding to the H1N1 influenza outbreak and communicated her hope that information on the manufacturing and approval processes for the vaccine would help health care professionals respond to patients’ questions. See the letter here. View AAPA information on influenza and H1N1.
News and Reports
A new survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness reveals several key findings on depression. Among the findings are that over 50 percent of caregivers who responded to the survey had been diagnosed with depression themselves and that over 60 percent of people living with depression report that they rely on care provided by primary health care physicians rather than mental health professionals. The full survey may be reviewed here.
Meanwhile, a study conducted by Avalere found that the use of community health centers is associated with lower health care spending, including lower use of emergency department visits, fewer inpatient hospital admissions, and shorter inpatient length of stay. Read the study here.
Congress is Home: A Good Reason to Schedule a Visit
Members of the House and Senate are home for the Veterans’ Day long weekend -- and so all PAs are urged to connect with legislators Nov. 12-16 in the district. Be sure to thank House members for the PA provisions contained in the House bill, and urge Senate members to support provisions intheir final bill that would allow PAs to order skilled nursing facility care and provide hospice care for their Medicare patients, that integrate PAs into new models of care such as the medical home, and that provide critical support for PA education programs. Click here for more tips on meeting with your legislator.
GAIN – 1300 Strong and Growing!
Have you joined our Grassroots Advocacy and Information Network (GAIN) yet? Our go-to advocacy corps, GAIN members are speaking out for the profession and making a difference on Capitol Hill. Sign up today and make your voice heard on Capitol Hill.
Key Contacts Still Needed!
A GAIN member mentions in passing that “Rep. So-and-So is a great guy and – oh, by the way – happens to be my neighbor.” And voila – a Key Contact is born! If you have an especially close or longstanding relationship with a Member of Congress, let us know by sending a quick note to Kristin Butterfield. We’ll plug you in to our network as someone to call on when a direct contact with a particular legislator is needed.
Register Now for AAPA’s Capitol Connection – February 22-23, 2010
Join forces with your fellow PAs and PA students in Washington, D.C., for a day on Capitol Hill and the opportunity to deliver an important message to Congress. AAPA's new Capitol Connection (formerly Adventures in Lobbying) conference will be held February 22-23, 2010. Make plans now to attend! Register here.
AAPA Federal Affairs staff is your resource on health care reform and other federal advocacy efforts. Do not hesitate to contact Sandy Harding, AAPA Federal Affairs Director, Kristin Butterfield, Assistant Director of Federal Affairs, or Kimberly Beer, Assistant Director of Federal Affairs, with your questions and suggestions.
