The Fight for Healthcare Access: Governor Hochul's Directive Falls Short in New York State
20,000+ Physician Assistants Set to Boost Healthcare Access for 7 Million New Yorkers in Medicaid Managed Care, Yet Still Missing from Provider Directories
Summary:
In 2022, following a landmark decision by Governor Kathy Hochul, over 20,000 Physician Assistants (PAs) celebrated their inclusion in New York Medicaid Managed Care Plan provider directories. This mission-critical directive, resulting from years of dedicated advocacy by the New York State Society of Physician Assistants (NYSSPA), was set to revolutionize healthcare accessibility for millions across New York State. However, despite this directive, PAs practicing in New York State (NYS) still remain absent from Medicaid Managed Care Plan provider directories, limiting patient care options.
NEW YORK
On December 9, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to include all Physician Assistants (PAs) in New York’s Medicaid Managed Care Plans, prompted by NYSSPA's relentless advocacy regarding PAs' education, training, and scope of work, marked a historic moment in healthcare.
The Governor deemed that PAs, licensed medical professionals with an established record of treating NYS Medicaid patients for decades in outpatient and inpatient settings, should have always been included in Medicaid Managed Care Plan provider directories. Furthermore, she officially required the inclusion of all PAs across New York’s Medicaid Managed Care Plans. This acknowledgment marked a major step toward enhancing quality healthcare access for over 7 million New Yorkers enrolled in these plans.
I recognize the value that physician assistants bring to primary care … I am directing the Department of Health to require that physician assistants be listed in the Medicaid Managed Care Plan provider directories. - Governor Kathy Hochul
Yet, over 20,000 PAs practicing in New York State still remain unsearchable in any NYS Medicaid Managed Care Plan provider directories despite the Governor’s directive to improve access and quality of primary care in the State. This omission restricts the visibility of an essential segment of our healthcare workforce and, more importantly, limits patient choices for care.
This directive is more than a policy change; it’s a commitment to improved patient care and healthcare efficiency. NYSSPA's advocacy highlights the absence of evidence linking PAs to increased gross negligence, patient safety issues, or deaths from care provided by PAs. Instead, it underscores PAs' established record in providing high-quality, cost-effective care, as demonstrated during the three years of autonomous care during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic under Executive Order.
Additionally, this directive takes a mission-critical, cost-conscious approach, circumventing delays and unnecessary billing complexities. At the moment, limited provider availability forces patients into costly ERs and urgent care centers. Meanwhile, PAs with open appointments remain unknown to beneficiaries. Consequently, care delay leads to diagnoses at more advanced disease stages, negatively impacting quality and costs. Including PAs not only enhances access and outcomes but also maintains fiscal responsibility.
Call To Action
To all NYS Medicaid Managed Care Plans, who are responsible for the health of millions of New Yorkers, let us collaborate to strengthen Medicaid infrastructure for the underserved families counting on it. By integrating PAs, we expand the workforce available to address communities’ needs. Our state will thrive when vulnerable families can access better support through your efforts to connect them to caregivers already in place. Let this be a first step toward a healthcare system that leaves no one behind.
We urge you to lead this charge to reshape New York’s healthcare landscape. Together, we can ensure every Medicaid patient has access to the full range of skilled, compassionate providers, including the dedicated PAs who are essential to NYS communities.