Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have introduced the Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill. The proposed legislation would allow state Medicaid programs to use Direct Primary Care arrangements. Direct Primary Care involves a fixed monthly fee for primary care services, which can help simplify costs and improve care coordination, according to the Arizona Senator.
"Access to quality primary care is essential for the health and well-being of Arizonans," Kelly stated, emphasizing the need to address healthcare disparities. Blackburn noted, "78 of Tennessee’s 95 counties are rural – making it extremely important to improve primary care access for Medicaid recipients in these communities." The legislative effort focuses on improving access to primary care, which supports preventive health, reduces emergency room visits, and lowers healthcare costs, as stated by the Arizona Senator.
Medicaid faces challenges like high emergency room use, fewer doctors in rural areas, and poorer health outcomes. Rural areas have only 39.8 doctors per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 in urban areas. A new bill supports using the Direct Primary Care model to improve Medicaid services without third-party billing. The bill is available on Senator Kelly's website, as reported by the Arizona Senator.
