FYI Med Students, Government looking to divert residency funding to midlevels

[MedicineZ0Z]

GAO Report Released on Expanding Medicare GME Funding to NPs and PAs

GAO released a report on the potential challenges and benefits of providing funding to NP and PA graduate training through the Medicare GME program.

www.aamc.org

Take the already limited residency funding and give it to midlevels. Lovely.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[hamstergang]

It seems a little early to panic if this report is the only source of information.

"GAO examined the possibility of diverting Medicare GME funding for medical residents to NPs and Pas.
...
The report also included a discussion of several challenges with providing graduate NP and PA training through the Medicare GME program. Some interviewees expressed concern that shifting Medicare GME funding to NPs and PAs without increasing overall program funding would negatively impact the available funding for physician training and exacerbate the existing funding shortage for GME training."

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

Don’t forget, midlevels are more expensive, work less hours, and have more leverage.

Fortune favors those willing to work for less.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

It seems a little early to panic if this report is the only source of information.

"GAO examined the possibility of diverting Medicare GME funding for medical residents to NPs and Pas.
...
The report also included a discussion of several challenges with providing graduate NP and PA training through the Medicare GME program. Some interviewees expressed concern that shifting Medicare GME funding to NPs and PAs without increasing overall program funding would negatively impact the available funding for physician training and exacerbate the existing funding shortage for GME training."

I think the fact that it's even suggested is sufficient. Given the absurdity.

 

[scoopdaboop]

Pretty sure nothing will go through unless they also increase funding overall for physicians, like they mentioned.

What's funny is in the report, they mention how "NP and PA schools need the money to find preceptors and to fill their classes". So, this report implies the grand scheme plan to fix physician shortage is to divert money away from physician GME and to NP and PA GME's so they can churn out more NP's and PA's. Bravo. If that happens, emergency room use and unnecessary referrals go up even more, ultimately ending up on the patient...

 

[aafisahar]

literally anyone can submit a proposal to the GAO to see what the impacts would be.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

literally anyone can submit a proposal to the GAO to see what the impacts would be.

You miss the point. Diverting funds from training doctors to midlevels is literal insanity.

 

[Mass Effect]

You miss the point. Diverting funds from training doctors to midlevels is literal insanity.

I mean, as a psychiatrist I can assure you it's not literal insanity. But it's pretty alarming.

 

[7331poas]

Don’t forget, midlevels are more expensive, work less hours, and have more leverage.

Fortune favors those willing to work for less.

Not really more expensive. My family member owns a few free standing EDs + urgent cares. He/She would not be able to operative if they were 100% physician staffed.

 

[Kracin]

Not really more expensive. My family member owns a few free standing EDs + urgent cares. He/She would not be able to operative if they were 100% physician staffed.

i believe the comparison is midlevels to residents

 

[NotAProgDirector]

There's nothing in the GAO report about diverting any funding, this is spin/posturing by the AAMC. The report covers expanding funding to cover NP/PA training. There are some random comments about concerns that funding will be cut for physicians, but this would require a complete rewrite of statute. GME funding is fixed by formula and isn't subject to appropriations.

Whether funding NP/PA training is a good idea or bad is an open question.

It is possible congress could change the whole law. But I doubt it in this hyper-partisan period, and congress's track record is to just add more spending without adding any income.

 

[GoSpursGo]

There's a separate thread about this already in Topics in Healthcare. As I said there, it appears that any discussion of "diverting" funds from GME and medical residencies is purely speculation at this point.

GAO Report Looks At Diverting GME Money To Train NPs and PAs

DECEMBER 20, 2019 The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) Dec. 18 released a report on providing Medicare graduate medical education (GME) funding for nurse practitioner (NP) and physician assistant (PA) graduate training. The report was requested as part of the Departments of...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Closing this thread.