Current Legislative Projects – Part 1 • Scope of Practice To proactively address “scope creep,” MSMS created Michigan for Advancing Collaborative Care Teams (MiACCT). This coalition of partner organizations will focus on the value of physician-led health care teams and the importance of medical school education in delivering quality, cost-effective care. Activities such as direct legislative and executive lobbying, coordinated lobby days, and a monthly e-newsletter for legislators and their staff will be key components of the initiative. Public-facing resources and communications, including earned media, will be deployed to generate legislative and public support for physician-led health care teams as well. Talking Points • Evolving health care delivery and reimbursement models require more integration and teamwork to deliver high quality, effective, and efficient person-centered care. • Team-based care fosters integration and coordination unlike independent practice which furthers care delivery silos. • Collaborative approach utilizes the unique skill set and training of each team member. • As the team members with the highest level of training, education and preparation, physicians guide the interplay of the team. • The public overwhelmingly wants a physician to have the primary responsibility for the diagnosis and management of their health care. • Advanced practice professionals (APPs) are increasingly engaged in what has traditionally been considered the practice of medicine and the practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery. • The public does not differentiate between health care delivery and the “practice of medicine” which perpetuates a misunderstanding of the scope of training of APPs. o More recently, some non-physician providers have attempted to change their professional titles which misleads patients about who is providing their care. • Team-based care is essential to protecting and maintaining public health and safety. Current Status While the bill which would have originally allowed certified registered nurse anesthetists to practice independently is now behind us, new scope-related legislation is expected to be introduced this fall which would allow for full independent practice for nurse practitioners. MSMS will share additional information as it becomes available when the bill is introduced.
• Prior Authorization Reform – Senate Bill 247 The prior authorization process diverts valuable resources away from direct patient care, can delay the start or continuation of necessary treatment and can negatively impact patient health outcomes. Over the course of the last two years, MSMS has worked closely with the legislature, regulators, and stakeholders on ways to streamline, standardize and make the prior authorization process more transparent, clinically appropriate and evidence based. To support this effort, MSMS also created the Health Can’t Wait coalition, which is a coalition of over fifty patient advocacy and health care organizations dedicated to reforming the prior authorization process. Talking Points Senate Bill 247 would reform the prior authorization process to do the following: • Requires an insurer to make available, by January 1, 2023, a standardized electronic prior authorization request transaction process. • Requires prior authorization requirements to be based on peer-reviewed clinical review criteria. • Require an insurer to post on its website if it implemented a new prior authorization requirement or restriction or amended an existing requirement or restriction, with respect to any benefit under a health benefit plan. • Requires an insurer or its designee utilization review organization to notify, on issuing a medical benefit denial, the health professional and insured or enrollee of certain information, including the right to appeal the adverse determination, and require an appeal of the denial to be reviewed by a health professional. • Prohibits an insurer or its designee utilization review organization from affirming the denial of an appeal unless the appeal was reviewed by a licensed physician. • For urgent requests, the prior authorization is considered granted if the insurer fails to act within 72 hours of the original submission. For non-urgent requests, the prior authorization is considered granted if the insurer fails to act within seven business days of the original submission. • Requires an insurer to adopt a program that promotes the modification of prior authorization requirements of certain prescription drugs, medical care, or related benefits, based on the performance of the health care providers with respect to adherence to nationally recognized evidencebased medical guidelines and other quality criteria (i.e., gold carding). Current Status Senate Bill 247 unanimously passed the Senate in late-April and is now under consideration by the House Health Policy continued on page 27
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The Bulletin | October 2021
