- Star Grassroots Advocates
- PAEA’s Government Relations team would like to thank all PA education advocates who made their voices heard in support of provisions in the recently-signed comprehensive opioid package to facilitate PA leadership in addressing the national epidemic. Thank you for your ongoing leadership!
- Advancing PAEA’s Advocacy Agenda
- On October 24, President Trump signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act into law. This critical, PAEA-supported legislation includes several provisions designed to bolster the PA response to the opioid epidemic. Among other provisions, the law provides PAs and NPs with permanent waiver authority to prescribe buprenorphine as medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. The bill also authorizes $25 million annually over 5 years for PAs, among other health professionals, practicing in substance use disorder treatment capacities.
- At PAEA’s 2018 Education Forum in Anaheim, CA, members of the Government Relations Steering Committee conducted a session to brief members on policy issues impacting clinical sites for PA programs. The facilitators discussed CMS student documentation regulations, state tax credits for preceptors of PA students, and the MIPS improvement activity now available for preceptors in small, rural, or underserved practices. Great job, GRSC!
- Health Care News in Washington
- In October, the Trump administration published a proposed rule designed to address rising drug prices by, among other proposals, requiring pharmaceutical companies to disclose the Wholesale Acquisition Cost for drugs in direct-to-consumer advertising. The Department will be accepting comments on the proposed rule through December 17, 2018.
- In a wide-ranging interview in advance of the November midterm elections, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell identified addressing the rising costs of Medicare and Medicaid as a priority to be addressed in pursuit of deficit reduction. While McConnell indicated a desire to pursue entitlement reform, he also acknowledged the difficulty in doing so without bipartisan agreement.
- Opportunities for Action
- PAEA’s Government Relations team is continuing its efforts to urge Congress to defeat proposals to eliminate Public Service Loan Forgiveness and limit access to Grad PLUS loans for PA students. If you have not already done so, please urge your representatives to protect these crucial programs.
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