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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 30, 2013 04:05 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Judith L. Schwank |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Medical Homes Advisory Council |
| I will shortly introduce legislation to establish the “Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Advisory Council” within the Department of Public Welfare to assist the department in developing policies and standards to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of publicly funded health care and health care generally. The PCMH model is a coordinated, team approach for the delivery of care across a network of providers, with an emphasis on primary and preventive care. It has been estimated that the use of the PCMH model nationally could reduce health care costs more than $2 trillion over 10 years. Earlier this year, Highmark announced the expansion of its own PCMH initiative, begun in 2011 with an initial group of 160 primary care physicians, to include more than 1,000 primary care physicians after the pilot produced a 2 percent reduction in costs with fewer inpatient admissions and re-admissions. In one survey of medical practices, nearly 90 percent of the respondents were either accredited/recognized as a PCMH, transforming into a PCMH, or were exploring becoming a PCMH. Medicaid programs in 26 states already have set up Patient-Centered Medical Home initiatives on statewide or regional bases. My legislation was developed with the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians and would create an advisory group composed of representatives from health provider groups, including family physicians, OB/Gyns, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, hospitals and others to assist the Department with regard to such matters as the certification process and standards for PCMHs, education and training standards for participating providers, and the delivery of services through PCMHs. Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as SB1083