The American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the professional organization representing more than 131,000 PAs across the country, applauds U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Tom Carper (D-DE), for introducing S. 596, the Physician Assistant Direct Payment Act, authorizing PAs to receive direct payment under Medicare.

Currently, PAs are the only health professionals who are authorized to bill Medicare for their services but are not able to receive direct payment. Medicare permits all health professionals—physicians, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), physical therapists, psychologists, podiatrists, social workers, and others—to receive direct payment under their own name and National Provider Identifier number.

When PAs cannot be paid directly by Medicare, they are unable to reassign their payments in a manner similar to physicians and APRNs. The inability to be paid directly further hinders PAs from fully participating in the increasing number of innovative value-based payment arrangements and emerging models of healthcare delivery.

Click here to read the full article on the AAPA website.