Legislative Update
On Beacon Hill…
New “Critical Access” Free Care Rules to Rely on Physician Judgment
. . .
Recognizing the importance of patient continuity of care, the state’s
Division of Health Care Finance and Policy made significant changes to its original
proposal to restrict services and eligibility from the Free Care Pool. Under the
new “critical access” changes, hospital-based physicians will be allowed
to provide primary and preventive care to non-urgent and non-emergent outpatients
if “the patient’s treating clinician makes a reasonable clinical judgment
that the patient’s medical condition is so severe or complex that his/her
primary care cannot be adequately provided in a community setting.” Physicians
will also be allowed to provide care if there is no health center within five
miles. Implementation of the critical access provision will be in effect beginning
January 1, 2005.
Phyllis Jen, MD, medical director of Brigham Internal Medicine Associates,
and Peter Greenspan, MD, assistant director for Primary Care, Massachusetts General
Hospital Physicians Organization, were instrumental in voicing Partners concerns
to legislators.
For further information, visit http://www.mass.gov/dhcfp/pages/dhcfp276.htm#summary
or contact Partners Government Relations at 617-278-1041.