H.R.1761 otherwise known as the "HELLPP" Act has been introduced to the 113th Congress on April 25th, 2013. The purpose of the bill is thus stated:
"To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to cover physician services delivered by podiatric physicians to ensure access by Medicaid beneficiaries to appropriate quality foot and ankle care, to amend title XVIII of such Act to modify the requirements for diabetic shoes to be included under Medicare, and for other purposes."
In other words, it's another bill aimed towards protecting Medicaid access to DPMs (new congress = new attempt). However, this time the bill seems to have a few more goals other than simply defining DPMs as physicians under Medicaid.
Article on the bill: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hellpp-act-introduced-by-congress-204857671.html
Link to bill itself: http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1761?q=hr1761
So, what do current practitioners and residents think? Think maybe it will pass this time? Or do some pods even care if it does? From my (extremely) limited understanding as a only pre-pod and from what I've read/heard on these forums, Medicaid reimbursements tend to be abysmal and Medicaid patients are some of the most highly litigious patients around. Would it affect yours or anyone else's practice significantly if pods were treated as physicians under medicaid and thus podiatric services could not be subject to state budget cuts? Or is this simply a parity issue and little more?
Please let me know what your thoughts are.
"To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to cover physician services delivered by podiatric physicians to ensure access by Medicaid beneficiaries to appropriate quality foot and ankle care, to amend title XVIII of such Act to modify the requirements for diabetic shoes to be included under Medicare, and for other purposes."
In other words, it's another bill aimed towards protecting Medicaid access to DPMs (new congress = new attempt). However, this time the bill seems to have a few more goals other than simply defining DPMs as physicians under Medicaid.
Article on the bill: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hellpp-act-introduced-by-congress-204857671.html
Link to bill itself: http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1761?q=hr1761
So, what do current practitioners and residents think? Think maybe it will pass this time? Or do some pods even care if it does? From my (extremely) limited understanding as a only pre-pod and from what I've read/heard on these forums, Medicaid reimbursements tend to be abysmal and Medicaid patients are some of the most highly litigious patients around. Would it affect yours or anyone else's practice significantly if pods were treated as physicians under medicaid and thus podiatric services could not be subject to state budget cuts? Or is this simply a parity issue and little more?
Please let me know what your thoughts are.
