Bill Includes Funding For Patient-Centered Care

Many doctors and caregivers have long felt that with the right information, equipment and know-how, patients can get – and stay – well with the help of family and maintain or increase their recovery and their health.

To that end, the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC) was pleased that The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 that was just passed by the Senate, included a provision for a demonstration project for the PCPCC model.

The PCPCC is a collaborative of over 150 major employers, consumer groups, physicians groups and others working together to raise the quality of care to patients by giving them a “medical home.”   This system of care will also improve delivery of services by using  

The PCPCC works with the whole person – in a situation where primary care physicians are responsible for arranging that person’s care.  The person sees a particular physician and the physician’s team, who will arrange for specialists and others who can help the individual.  In addition, where appropriate and wherever possible, primary care physicians coordinate and collaborate with families of their patients regarding their care. The primary physician works across all fields of medicine and coordinates all care to make it easier and less confusing to the patient.

In addition, patients would be able to access care on an open-scheduling basis.  Since they would be cared for by a team and would not have to necessarily go to the physician’s office for all treatment and assistance, some help could be obtained by using technical assistance during expanded hours. 

The PCPCC promotes a new way of thinking when it comes to medicine and could especially help individuals covered by Medicare and Medicaid.  It is endorsed by The American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American College of Physicians and The American Osteopathic Association.

The demonstration project funding as well as funding for further full-blown pilot projects will help determine if the PCPCC has developed an idea that will create better outcomes for patients while paying doctors and other medical professionals what they should rightfully be paid and still contain costs, especially to programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.  Hopefully this will create a win-win situation for all parties.

Filed under: General-Medicare

Tags: better medical care, General-Medicare, medicaid, Patient-Centered Care, PCPCC