The Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act would address two fundamental problems in health care: a critical shortage of primary care physicians and inefficient Medicare reimbursements that do not reward a coordinated approach of patients' health care needs.
"Our country faces a critical shortage of primary care providers, especially in rural states like Maine. It is well documented that populations served by an adequate supply of primary care physicians have improved health outcomes, reduced mortality, and lower health care costs. Moreover, when it comes to access to health care, all too often, having an insurance card isn't enough because there aren't enough primary care providers to provide the care. Our legislation would help address the primary care shortage by creating incentives for more physicians to go into primary care specialties," said Senator Collins.
According to a recent report issued by the American College of Physicians, "primary care, the backbone of the nation's health care system, is at grave risk of collapse." The ACP also predicts that the country will need 40 percent more primary care physicians by 2020.
Specifically, the Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act would:
• Establish scholarships and loan forgiveness in exchange for primary care service commitments in critical shortage areas;
• Create grants for medical school mentorship programs and primary care training in community health centers;
• Increase Title VII and National Health Service Corps funding for primary care training;
• Remove caps on the number of residencies funded by the Medicare GME program with a preference for the new residencies given to primary care;
• Eliminates barriers to increased training in ambulatory care settings for primary care trainees; and,
• Enact Medicare payment reforms to support the value of primary care in improving quality, coordinating care and reducing costs, and a transition to a new payment system based on the Patient Centered Medical Home.