- Star Grassroots Advocates
- PAEA’s Government Relations team would like to thank the students and faculty of the George Washington University PA program for meeting with their representatives to support the PA Education Modernization Acts (H.R. 1603/1605) in August. Thank you for your leadership and advocacy on behalf of PA education!
- Advancing PAEA’s Advocacy Agenda
- On August 1, Duke University PA Program Director Jacqueline Barnett, DHSc, MSHS, PA-C, participated in a congressional briefing to support increased, stable funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). In her presentation, Dr. Barnett discussed the unique impact of the NHSC on her life, recent PA graduates, and underserved communities throughout the United States.
- In late August, the Senate voted to approve H.R. 6157 – a combined funding measure for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education. This bill funds the programs most important to PA education for fiscal year 2019, but the measure must be reconciled with the House-proposed bills through a conference committee before being sent to the president.
- Health Care News in Washington
- In mid-August, the House Ways and Means committee released its Medicare Red Tape Relief report on the committee’s work to eliminate burdensome requirements for Medicare providers. In the report, the committee identified current Evaluation and Management services documentation requirements as a significant source of administrative burden for clinicians.
- The Senate continued its consideration of a comprehensive opioid epidemic response package in August. In addition to ongoing appropriations work, the Senate is expected to vote on a final package in September with conference negotiations to proceed with the House shortly thereafter.
- Opportunities for Action
- As the Senate works to finalize its opioid epidemic response package, it is critical that PAs be eligible for loan repayment when serving in substance use disorder treatment capacities and that PAs be permanently eligible to prescribe buprenorphine as office-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT). If you have not already done so, we ask you to contact your senators in support of these provisions.
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