PAFP 2019-2020 Legislative

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

JENNIFER REIS, Chief Government Affairs Officer jreis@pafp.com

PAFP 2019-2020 Legislative Agenda: mid-session report

he New Year marks the halfway point of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s 2019-2020 legislative session, and already the PAFP has several high-priority items primed to see action in the first half of this year.

On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Governor Tom Wolf presented his FY 2020-21 State Budget to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Among increases for basic and special education, the Governor’s proposed budget includes an increase in the Primary Health Care Practitioner line item within the Department of Health’s (DOH) budget. In addition to our 2019-2020 Legislative Agenda items (use same link), the PAFP will be advocating to maintain this increase as the legislature negotiates the details of the budget over the next several months. Part of this line item is allocated to the PAFP through a grant by DOH to provide financial assistance to create new residency slots at family medicine programs throughout the Commonwealth. This program is consistent with the PAFP’s commitment to expanding the family physician workforce in Pennsylvania.

introduce House Resolution 625, which would direct the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study and issue a report on the efforts of medical schools to promote primary care and include primary care experiences as part of the curriculum.

Politically, 2020 is expected to be a highly anticipated election year at both the federal and state levels, with the presidential election taking center stage. In Pennsylvania, all 18 Congressional districts are up for grabs, in addition to the three statewide row offices – Attorney General, Auditor General and Treasurer.