adminWhile the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) has not taken a position requiring integrated delivery networks to contract with “any willing” health insurance carriers, we believe several pro-patient and pro-physicians steps need to be taken to ensure continued access to care.
In a letter to the state House Health Committee, PAMED President Bruce MacLeod, MD, offered several recommendations on behalf of PAMED that we believe would benefit physicians and patients in a meaningful way in this evolving health care environment:
- Prohibit the inclusion of non-compete, or restrictive covenant clauses in physician employment contracts
- Ban economic credentialing
- Adopt legislation ensuring that a physician retains independent medical judgment in providing care to patients at a health care facility, and may not be disciplined for reasonably advocating for patient care
While they [these recommendations] do not in and of themselves solve the potential disruptions in access to care that led the House Health Committee to conduct this public hearing [a public hearing was held by the House Health Committee on Dec. 18, 2013], we believe these pro-patient initiatives are an important part of the solution,” said Dr. MacLeod.
“We would be pleased to work with you to bring them about,” he told the committee in the letter.