Monkeypox Declared Public Health Emergency
With over 6,000 confirmed cases of Monkeypox in the United States, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, on August 4, declared the outbreak an emergency in order to expand the
federal response to states and municipalities. Pa Acting Secretary and
Physician General Denise Johnson, M.D., recently issued guidance to
providers on testing, reporting, and vaccines. Read Dr. Johnson's letter to providers
Save the Date: Dewey Beach Summer 2023!
Mark your calendars early — PAFP CME is heading to Dewey Beach in 2023! Please join us June 11-15, 2023, at the Hyatt Place Dewey Beach, Delaware, for our Summer CME Conference, which will offer more than 25 credits during half-day educational blocks that leave plenty of free time for sunshine and social events. Complete details about room rates and registration will be coming your way in the near future. Keep an eye on your email for more coming soon ... this program will fill fast.
ADVOCACY UPDATE Prior Authorization reform receives Senate approval
On Wednesday,
June 29, the Senate of
Pennsylvania passed Senate Bill 225 with unanimous, bipartisan support. The
bill, which now moves to the state House of Representatives for consideration,
would significantly improve the prior authorization process by establishing
consistent turnaround times for making decisions; requiring health insurers to
publish parameters for when prior authorization must be obtained; and reducing
miscommunication between providers and insurers. The PAFP will continue to
advocate for passage of S.B. 225 in the House this year. Read the patient/provider coalition press release
Report Highlights Need for Increased Investment in Primary Care
PAFP recognizes the work of the Joint State Government Commission (JSGC) in response to House Resolution 625 of 2020 that called for an examination of medical student choice in primary care within Pennsylvania’s nine medical schools. Among other recommendations, the JSGC Report calls for greater investment in and expansion of the state’s existing primary care pipeline programs, which aligns with the PAFP’s work to advance the specialty of family medicine within the Commonwealth. Read the report.
