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All posts by Amy
Anthem cuts reimbursement rates
One of Virginia’s largest insurance companies is lowering reimbursement rates for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. VCNP’s president-elect recently Olivia Newby spoke to the reporter of the Virginia Mercury article.
Olivia Newby said there would be an “absolutely devastating” effect on Primary Care Specialists, the independent practice where she works. The cuts would end up reaching the surrounding community, she added — predominantly working-class people of color.
“We were already busy, overwhelmed, short-staffed in trying to accommodate the patients,” Newby said, pointing out that nurse practitioners make up half of the providers on her practice’s four-person medical staff. “That loss of income may mean we can’t afford support staff. Or maybe we put off buying new equipment. It’s that trickle-down effect that impacts the quality of patient care.”
Have you seen this news from Anthem? How will this change in reimbursement rates impact your practice? Share with us.
Moving Toward Racial Equity in Health Care – POSTPONED
Dr. Kristina Johnson, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Virginia
Thank you for your interest in this program. The event has been postponed. The speaker is unable to present at this time. Please check back for new event information coming soon.
VCNP Regional Legislative Events
The VCNP Government Relations regional representatives are working hard to schedule their regional legislative events. The purpose of these events is to gather VCNP membership with legislators to exchange ideas and explore solutions to improve access to healthcare in the Commonwealth.
Be on the lookout for event information from your regional Government Relations Committee representative and check out the VCNP calendar for scheduled receptions.
For more information on VCNP government relations work, contact the state VCNP Government Relations Chair, Kim Bednar, DNP, FNP.
VCNP Member and Lynchburg Region Past President speaks at the White House
Amy Johnson, DNP, FNP-C, Lynchburg Region immediate past president, was invited to speak at the White House on July 16 for a press event about telehealth deregulation and the benefits to rural health.
Watch her interview!
VCNP is a non-partisan organization. While we did not coordinate Amy’s presentation, we are proud to recognize her and the work she does in support of patient care and the NP profession.
Autonomous Practice Licensure – Let VCNP be your resource!
Do you have questions about the process, completing the application, or how it will impact your practice?
VCNP is your resource!
Use the buttons below to visit the Board of Nursing Application Wizard, or send an email to connect with a VCNP member who can and answer your questions.
Select an option:
VCNP’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
The events of recent weeks have brought feelings of anger, sadness, pain and confusion. VCNP is committed to supporting our black, brown and African American colleagues, patients and communities and to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization and profession. As an association of healthcare professionals, it is our responsibility to use our platform for justice. We will be meeting as a Board this weekend and will follow-up next week regarding action steps we will take to further this mission.
Governor waives some NP practice requirements during COVID-19
On April 17, Governor Northam issued Executive Order 57, titled “LICENSING OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN RESPONSE TO NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)” which was amended on April 23 and extended on June 10.
Read EO 57 Now!
Supporting NPs During COVID-19
COVID-19 is presenting NPs, and the nation, with an unprecedented health care challenge while placing considerable demands and stressors on NPs, both professionally and personally. VCNP is working to share resources and support our members during this time. We hope you will refer to our dedicated web page to find valuable online resources and updates as they impact your practice during this time.
Please let us know how we can continue supporting you by contacting us at vcnp@vcnp.net.
For updates, check back regularly for an up-to-date resource list.
CMS Final Rule: NP and PA Preceptor Documentation Updates – Success!
Posted By: Susanne J. Phillips, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC on practicingclinicians.com |November 29, 2019
To access original post visit: https://practicingclinicians.com/the-exchange/cms-final-rule-np-and-pa-preceptor-documentation-updates–success-
On November 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, which will positively affect the NP and PA preceptor documentation burden. For those of you providing clinical teaching rotations for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and/or PA students, you may be aware that in March 2018 CMS reduced the documentation burden for physician preceptors. This change authorized teaching physicians to verify and sign student documentation components of evaluation and management (E/M) services rather than have to re-document the work themselves. Unfortunately, this created unintended consequences for APRN and PA preceptors and the students they supervise.
In an era where productivity in patient care has been a major driver of reimbursement, the 2018 rule caused many practices to abruptly discontinue precepting APRN and PA students—creating a crisis in NP and PA education. As a result, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), nursing, and physician stakeholders worked diligently to mobilize their constituencies and to request changes to the 2020 final rule. Through lobbying efforts and regulatory comments, CMS revised the language, thereby creating documentation requirement parity among all clinician preceptors.
Effective January 1, 2020, APRN and PA preceptors may review and verify medical record documentation entered by other licensed health care providers and members of the health care team, as well as student APRNs and PAs. This update will ultimately improve patient access to high-quality health care.
There are additional changes affecting APRN and PA providers including, but not limited to, updates to Medicare telehealth service reimbursement, E/M services documentation and reimbursement, physician supervision requirements for PAs, and payment for transitional care management services. Click the links in the references below for additional information.
References
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Finalized policy, payment, and quality provisions changes to the medicare physician fee schedule for calendar year 2020. www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/finalized-policy-payment-and-quality-provisions-changes-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-calendar Accessed November 26, 2019.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Final rule and interim final rule: 42 CFR parts 403, 409, 410, 411, 414, 415, 416, 418, 424, 425, 489, and 498. s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-24086.pdf Accessed November 26, 2019.