- Star Grassroots Advocates
- In July, members of PAEA’s Government Relations Steering Committee participated in 15 advocacy meetings to help advance the Physician Assistant Higher Education Modernization Act, Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act, and Perinatal Workforce Act. Thank you for your advocacy!
- Advancing PAEA’s Advocacy Agenda
- The House of Representatives passed a seven-bill funding package in late July, including the bill funding the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education for fiscal year 2022. Following sustained advocacy, the bill includes a number of critical increases for health workforce development programs including $10.5 million for Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students, $6.75 million for Area Health Education Centers, and $5.5 million for the Health Careers Opportunity Program.
- On July 7, PAEA sent a welcome letter to Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD. In the letter, the Association congratulated Assistant Secretary Delphin-Rittmon on her recent confirmation, discussed PAEA’s efforts to strengthen substance use disorder education for PA students, and emphasized ongoing challenges PA programs face in securing behavioral health clinical rotations.
- Health Care News in Washington
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its calendar year 2022 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule in July. As a component of the proposed rule, CMS is moving to implement a legislative requirement that PAs receive direct payment for services provided to Medicare patients as of January 1, 2022.
- On July 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a COVID-19 response oversight hearing to examine the ongoing progress of national vaccination efforts as well as the mitigation efforts to slow the spread of the Delta variant.
- Opportunities for Action
- PAEA is urging the Senate to prioritize the Rural MOMS Act for a floor vote. If you have not already done so, please send a message to your senators urging them to cosponsor the bill today.
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