Submit Your Feedback to CMS- Medicare Executive Order

The October 3, 2019 Executive Order includes recommendations for CMS to relax certain restrictions on the scope of practice of non-physician practitioners (NPPs) so as to eliminate restrictions that keep NPPs from practicing "at the top of their profession."

Physicians who are opposed are urged to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to express concerns for this expansion of NPPs. Emails should be addressed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to the attention of Secretary Alex Azar and Ms. Seema Verma, Administrator CMS. Please include "Scope of Practice" as your subject line.

Sample email:

Dear Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma:

I am a physician in _______. I am asking you to OPPOSE the changes that would remove supervision requirements for non-physician practitioners caring for Medicare patients. The minimum non-physician practitioner (NPP) training and education is very different and a fraction of the minimum training that physicians require to become board certified in their area of expertise, and differs in many aspects. The risk of harm increases when patients are not cared for by physician-led teams.

Increasing the scope of practice by NPPs and implementing unsupervised practice will not fix the physician shortage and will not improve access to quality medical care. Furthermore, the proposed regulation changes that would allow parity of Medicare reimbursement between physicians and NPPs misleads the public as to the differences between a physician and a NPP, and is financially irresponsible of CMS.

I ask you to keep the most highly trained professional as the leader of the healthcare team and safeguard the quality of care for Medicare patients.

Sincerely,
(Your Name)