HARRISBURG, May 15 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, has introduced bills that would put a flexibility component in place for physician assistants and the supervising physicians they work with and prohibit banks or other financial institutions from charging clients a fee for a paper copy of a statement. The first two pieces of legislation ( House Bills 2294 and 2295 ) would amend the physician licensure acts in Pennsylvania and allow physician assistants to work with either classification of physician, a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Current law on the books mandates that physician assistants and supervising physicians must be licensed by the same state medicine board as the supervising physician. “Cutting all the red tape and connecting medical professionals with patients that need their skills and expertise to recover is one of the foundational tenets of health care and my work as a physician-legislator,” Venkat said. “Doctors want to help as many people as they can, and my bills help to break down the barriers to this mission.” Venkat’s additional legislation ( H.B. 2292 ) would ban entities from assessing an additional fee, as high as $5 monthly, to customers who request a print version of a statement from a given entity. The bill would also specify that any person or entity would still be allowed to create incentives for a consumer to select an alternative to a paper statement. Read more
Bipartisan bill would help local pharmacies stay in business Read more
HARRISBURG, May 6 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s bill that would require health insurers to offer multiple payment options to in-network health care providers for payment for clinical services and disclose any associated fees with each method of payment was unanimously adopted by the PA House Insurance Committee today. The legislation, H.B. 1867 , would eliminate electronic credit card reimbursements being the sole method of payment and allow health care providers to choose the payment option best suited to their needs. Electronic credit card reimbursements with mandatory fees would only be permitted if the in-network health care provider agrees to that arrangement. “Administrative fees associated with only having electronic credit cards as the means of payment unnecessarily drains agreed-upon reimbursements received by hard-working doctors, nurses and other health professionals who have dedicated their lives to safeguarding the health of our community,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “Let’s get our health care providers the full compensation they deserve and continue to support them in all their efforts.” According to a ProPublica article , almost 60% of medical practices said they were compelled to pay fees for electronic payment at least some of the time. These fees can also cost larger medical practices $1 million a year, and small clinics can lose as much as $100,000 due to the fees. The legislation now moves to the full Read more
Legislation to cover remote blood-pressure monitors through Medicaid, CHIP Read more
When Dr. Lorraine Rosamilia left her job at a dermatology practice in State College, she said the non-compete she'd signed 17 years ago banned her from working within 30 miles of her former office. Read more
Doctors should wait to rip up the employment contracts prohibiting them from going to work for competitors, experts are advising, even though the Federal Trade Commission voted last week to bar employers from imposing such restrictions on employees. Read more
Legislation would establish state resource program for new parents Read more
House Health Committee Voting Meeting Packet - April 30, 2024 Read more
New bill would reel in Pharmacy Benefit Managers Read more
HARRISBURG, April 17 – The PA House Health Committee today approved legislation authored by state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., that would extend Medicaid coverage to doula services in the state. Under Cephas’ bill ( H.B. 1608 ), Medicaid would reimburse certified doulas for providing childbirth education and support services, including physical and emotional support, during pregnancy, labor and delivery and up to one year postpartum. “Research has shown that doula support leads to improved birth outcomes, including reduced rates of cesarean sections, shorter labor durations and higher rates of breastfeeding initiation. By providing continuous support throughout and after pregnancy, doulas contribute to safer and more positive birth experiences for mothers," Cephas said. "While some moms can afford doula services without insurance or have insurance that covers it, moms who receive their vital pregnancy care through Medicaid are not so lucky. This leads to a vast inequality in care for women who are already statistically at risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, with Black women at the highest risk of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity compared to other racial and ethnic groups. This legislation would give these mothers a proven network of support needed to produce better mental and physical health outcomes during their birthing journey.” The bill also would establish a Doula Advisory Read more
Screenings for hypertension decrease maternal mortality Read more
House Health Committee Voting Meeting Packet - April 17, 2024 Read more
House Health Subcommittee Hearing Packet - April 11, 2024 Read more
House Health Committee Voting Meeting Packet - March 27, 2024 Read more
House Bill 1633 Letters of Support & Opposition Read more
SB668 Letters of Support & Opposition Read more
Joint Health and Judiciary Committee Hearing Packet - March 20th, 2024 Read more
DHS LIFE & Community HealthChoices (CHC) 2023 Q4 Quarterly Enrollment Report Read more
Testimony submitted to the Health and Professional Licensure Committees from relevant stakeholders and experts. Read more
Voting meeting Read more
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