Common use of Physician Extenders Clause in Contracts

Physician Extenders. Physician extenders are health care professionals who are licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. Physician extenders can perform some of the services that physicians provide, such as physical exams, preventive health care and education. Some can also assist in surgery and write prescriptions. Appropriate use of physician extenders can have a positive influence on cost, quality and access. Physician extenders can perform routine or straightforward services at a lower cost than a physician, allowing physicians to focus on more complicated patient problems. Physician extenders also allow patients to be seen promptly for preventive visits or less complicated health problems, which improves access to care and may allow more Medicaid patients to be seen. According to Indiana law, the following physician extenders are licensed to provide care in Indiana:  Advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists;  Physician assistants; and  Certified registered nurse anesthetists. The Contractor shall implement initiatives to encourage providers to use physician extenders. Examples of these types of initiatives include, but are not limited to:  Educating providers about the benefits of physician extenders;  Educating providers about reimbursement policies for physician extenders;  Offering financial or non-financial incentives to providers who increase their use of physician extenders, provided any financial incentives shall be positive, not punitive; and  Collaborating with physician-extender training programs in Indiana. Collaboration could include providing internships or practicum for physician extenders, expanding the number of training slots for physician extenders, etc. State Medicaid programs are required to make nurse practitioner services available to Medicaid recipients in accordance with 42 CFR 441.22. The Contractor shall permit members to use the services of nurse practitioners out-of-network if no nurse practitioner is available in the Contractor’s network. If nurse practitioner services are available through the Contractor, the Contractor shall inform the member that nurse practitioner services are available. The Contractor shall have the capability to add certain physician extenders to their networks to be credentialed and contracted as primary care providers should OMPP authorize said physician extenders to participate as primary care providers moving forward.

Physician Extenders. Physician extenders are health care professionals who are licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. Physician extenders can perform some of the services that physicians provide, such as physical exams, preventive health care and education. Some can also assist in surgery and write prescriptions. Appropriate use of physician extenders can have a positive influence on cost, quality and access. Physician extenders can perform routine or straightforward services at a lower cost than a physician, allowing physicians to focus on more complicated patient problems. Physician extenders also allow patients to be seen promptly for preventive visits or less complicated health problems, which improves access to care and may allow more Medicaid patients to be seen. According to Indiana law, the following physician extenders are licensed to provide care in Indiana:  ▪ Advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists;  ▪ Physician assistants; and  ▪ Certified registered nurse anesthetists. The Contractor shall implement initiatives to encourage providers to use physician extenders. Examples of these types of initiatives include, but are not limited to:  ▪ Educating providers about the benefits of physician extenders;  ▪ Educating providers about reimbursement policies for physician extenders;  ▪ Offering financial or non-financial incentives to providers who increase their use of physician extenders, provided any financial incentives shall be positive, not punitive; and  ▪ Collaborating with physician-extender training programs in Indiana. Collaboration could include providing internships or practicum for physician extenders, expanding the number of training slots for physician extenders, etc. State Medicaid programs are required to make nurse practitioner services available to Medicaid recipients in accordance with 42 CFR 441.22. The Contractor shall permit members to use the services of nurse practitioners out-of-network if no nurse practitioner is available in the Contractor’s network. If nurse practitioner services are available through the Contractor, the Contractor shall inform the member that nurse practitioner services are available. The Contractor shall have the capability to add certain physician extenders to their networks to be credentialed and contracted as primary care providers should OMPP authorize said physician extenders to participate as primary care providers moving forward.

Physician Extenders. Physician extenders are health care professionals who are licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. Physician extenders can perform some of the services that physicians provide, such as physical exams, preventive health care and education. Some can also assist in surgery and write prescriptions. Appropriate use of physician extenders can have a positive influence on cost, quality and access. Physician extenders can perform routine or straightforward services at a lower cost than a physician, allowing physicians to focus on more complicated patient problems. Physician extenders also allow patients to be seen promptly for preventive visits or less complicated health problems, which improves access to care and may allow more Medicaid patients to be seen. According to Indiana law, the following physician extenders are licensed to provide care in Indiana:   Advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists;   Physician assistants; and   Certified registered nurse anesthetists. The Contractor shall implement initiatives to encourage providers to use physician extenders. Examples of these types of initiatives include, but are not limited to:   Educating providers about the benefits of physician extenders;   Educating providers about reimbursement policies for physician extenders;   Offering financial or non-financial incentives to providers who increase their use of physician extenders, provided any financial incentives shall be positive, not punitive; and   Collaborating with physician-extender training programs in Indiana. Collaboration could include providing internships or practicum for physician extenders, expanding the number of training slots for physician extenders, etc. State Medicaid programs are required to make nurse practitioner services available to Medicaid recipients in accordance with 42 CFR 441.22. The Contractor shall permit members to use the services of nurse practitioners out-of-network if no nurse practitioner is available in the Contractor’s network. If nurse practitioner services are available through the Contractor, the Contractor shall inform the member that nurse practitioner services are available. The Contractor shall have the capability to add certain physician extenders to their networks to be credentialed and contracted as primary care providers should OMPP authorize said physician extenders to participate as primary care providers moving forward.