Grassley has long sought to expand the opportunities for physician assistants to provide quality health care services, especially in rural America. "By allowing these qualified health care professionals to operate independently, they will be able to establish a practice in a small town otherwise unable to support a full-time physician," Grassley said. In addition, Grassley said PAs provide cost-efficient primary health care in many urban areas where affordable health care is greatly needed.
Grassley for many years has served on a rural health care caucus on Congress and worked for expanded access to health care in rural America. In January, he was elected chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Leading this new forum and serving as a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee helped him secure Congressional approval and the President's signature this summer for important provisions he advanced to enhance rural health care delivery.
Among other items, the bi-partisan balanced budget plan included Grassley's Physician Assistant Incentive Act of 1997. The new law requires Medicare to reimburse physician assistants for services they are licensed to perform. It establishes direct reimbursement in all settings at 85 percent of the physician reimbursement schedule. Until now, only a supervising physician could be reimbursed.
Grassley was presented today's award during an early morning meeting of the Academy's annual legislative conference in the nation's capital.