U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) has filed legislation to ensure access to affordable, quality health care and economic security for working women and families across the country. The bill restores the important Medicaid payment boost to primary care providers and recognizes OB-GYNs, among others, as primary care providers.

“Women are more likely to see their OB-GYN than any other type of health care provider. By supporting this bill, Congress can send a Mother’s Day message that it will address the real challenges that many mothers and women face today – equal access to quality health care,” U.S. Rep. Castor said. This week is also Women’s Health Week. 

The Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women & Children Act (H.R. 2253) extends for two years the Affordable Care Act’s provision to provide pay parity between Medicare and Medicaid primary care physicians. The bill also expands the payment bump to OB/GYNs, nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Studies have shown that because nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health professionals are trained to and already deliver many primary care services, extending the pay increase to these professionals could increase access to primary care.

“The Ensuring Access Act will strengthen and modernize Medicaid by taking into account today’s delivery of primary care services by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and increases working families’ access to primary care professionals. Connecting our neighbors to primary care makes it more likely that families receive preventative care at the doctor’s office to stay healthy and not be forced to wait until they are sick and go the emergency room,” U.S. Rep. Castor said. 

Medicaid plays a key role in providing coverage for working families across the country. In 2014, Medicaid covered 69 million individuals, or one out of five Americans. Medicaid coverage and demand for primary care are expected to increase as the Affordable Care Act continues to expand Americans’ access to health insurance. But Florida has a history of low Medicaid reimbursements and the bump up has been especially critical for the state to expand accessible health care.

“Medicare rates, which are about twice what Medicaid pays, are certainly not lucrative, but at least allow physicians to break-even, without losing money to see Medicaid patients,” said Dr. Louis St. Petery, a Tallahassee, Fla. pediatrician and Executive Vice President of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “What we’re seeing since the Affordable Care Act ‘bump up’ provision expired last year is that pediatricians are not taking on new Medicaid patients. U.S. Rep. Castor’s bill is a big step in the right direction.” 

U.S. Rep. Castor has been working with doctors and organizations across the country on the legislation and several have expressed support for her Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women & Children Act:        

• American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
• American College of Physicians
• Society of Hospital Medicine

“Without question, obstetrician-gynecologists provide primary care to women; an OB-GYN is the only physician many women see regularly. That’s why recognizing OB-GYNs as primary care providers will help more women get and stay healthy,” said Mark S. DeFrancesco, MD, President of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “More importantly, reimbursing physicians equally for providing the same quality care to Medicaid patients as a patient with any other kind of insurance will help low-income women and their families get access to the care they need.”

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