The American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the professional organization
representing more than 131,000 PAs (physician assistants) across the country, put
out a statement in March 2019, applauding U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY)
and Tom Carper (D-DE), for introducing Senate Bill 596, the Physician Assistant
Direct Payment Act. This bill would authorize PAs to receive direct payment
under Medicare.
Currently, PAs are the only health professionals who are authorized to
bill Medicare for their services but are not able to receive direct payment.
Medicare permits all health professionals—physicians, advanced practice
registered nurses (APRNs), physical therapists, psychologists, podiatrists,
social workers, and others—to receive direct payment under their own name and
National Provider Identifier number.
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physician assistant jobs with Staff Care.
When PAs cannot be paid directly by Medicare, they are unable to
reassign their payments in a manner similar to physicians and APRNs. The
inability to be paid directly further hinders PAs from fully participating in
the increasing number of innovative value-based payment arrangements and
emerging models of healthcare delivery.
“The enactment of this legislation is crucial to improving the
accessibility of healthcare for patients across the country, especially in
rural and underserved areas. Through the removal of unnecessary administrative
burdens and restrictions, this legislation will improve PAs’ ability to use
their clinical competence to provide high-quality care to patients in need,”
said Jonathan E. Sobel, DMSc, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA, FAPACVS, president and chair
of the AAPA Board of Directors. “We look forward to continuing to work with
Senator Barrasso and Senator Carper to improve access to healthcare.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of PAs is
expected to increase by 37 percent from 2016 to 2026. Enactment of this
legislation will not change how PAs currently practice and it will not change
PA scope of practice.
Last month, Representatives Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Adrian Smith (R-NE)
introduced the Physician Assistant Direct Payment
Act, H.R. 1052, in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The AAPA encourages PAs to
contact legislators in support of this important legislation in the U.S. Senate
and House. A good place to start is by visiting AAPA’s Advocacy Action Center online.
Source: American Academy of PAs
The benefits of working as a physician assistant
U.S. News & World Report recently ranked physician assistants as the third
best job overall in the United States for 2019, and the best job in health
care. The magazine’s annual rankings are based on a number of factors including
salary, job market, future growth, work–life balance, and more.
The U.S. News survey reported
the median salary for physician assistants was $104,860 in 2017. PAs can work in
a variety of health care settings and specialties. In addition to permanent
positions with hospitals and physician practices, locum
tenens physician assistant
jobs are also available for part-time or full-time
temporary assignments.
Locum PA jobs offer competitive compensation, paid housing and travel
expenses, the flexibility to choose where and when you want to work, and the
chance to gain new experiences that can advance your career.
Related:
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