Workforce/Reimbursement + Advocacy Task Force - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• At last meeting in Sept. 2009, combined task forces set up an aggressive and ambitious agenda.
• Key goals
• Recruit members for Task Forces
• Develop Advocacy process
• What is the 'right size' for pediatric subspecialists?
• Facilitate flexibility

• Discussion of Pediatric Subspecialty Survey
• Discussed ways to get this done
• Berkeley Policy Associates
• Institute of Medicine study
• Edward Salsberg, Director, Center for Workforce Studies, AAMC
• Paul Rockey, Director, Division of Graduate Medical Education, AMA

• During early 2009, we began to be part of the Pediatric Work Force Workgroup
• a coalition of pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty and related organizations
• Report to Senate Finance Cmte said 'lack of access to pediatric subspecialty care has reached crisis proportions'; also requesteda GAO study of the demographic and practice characteristics (including reimbursement and medical liability costs) of pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists in the US...

• (1) IN GENERAL.-The Comptroller General of the United States shall
• conduct a study of children's access to primary and specialty services under Medicaid and CHIP, including-

(A)the extent to which providers are willing to treat children eligible for such programs

(B) information on such children's access to networks of care.

(C) geographic availability of primary and specialty services under such programs

(D) the extent to which care coordination is provided for children's care under Medicaid and CHIP.

(2) REPORT.-Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment...,the Comptroller General shall submit a report...on the study...that includes recommendations for such Federal and State legislative and administrative changes as the Comptroller General determines are necessary to address any barriers to access to children's care under Medicaid and CHIP that may exist.

Loan repayment was at top of the list.

HEALTH CARE REFORM started....

• Major Issues
• Pediatric loan repayment
• Medicaid reimbursement
• Increased funding for CH GME.
• Promotion of care coordination
• Promotion of Medical home.

• Sen. Sherrod Brown, (D-OH) introduced language that established a pediatric subspecialty loan repayment program into bill from Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee
• Bill from Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Baucus, doesn't contain this provision.
• 'Pre-conferencing' is going on now in attempt to bring a final bill to Senate floor.
• Goal is to keep the loan repayment language in the final bill.

• In the House, the chair of the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee met with pediatric subspecialists and provided with information on why this legislation was important.
• OVERALL, we have been very lucky to have the lead of the Pediatric Workforce Work Group and the Washington, DC staffer.

• CoPS needs to become full member of Pediatric Workforce Work Group so that we can 'turn on a dime' when issues come to the fore.
• Perhaps the Advocacy and Workforce/Reimbursement Task Forces should merge?