Bill Overview
Title: PROTECTS Act
Description: This bill allows Medicaid and Medicare providers (e.g., skilled nursing facilities) to access, through the National Practitioner Data Bank, disciplinary information concerning affiliated physicians and other health care practitioners, as reported by state licensing authorities.
Sponsors: Rep. Rice, Tom [R-SC-7]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals receiving care through Medicaid and Medicare providers
Estimated Size: 80000000
- The bill allows Medicaid and Medicare providers to access disciplinary information, affecting health care practitioners affiliated with such providers.
- Affiliated physicians and other health care practitioners include a wide range of professionals such as nurses, doctors, and specialists.
- The legislation will impact these practitioners' ability to maintain employment if their disciplinary records affect their eligibility or perception in the workplace.
- The elderly population, specifically the 86 million individuals relying on Medicaid and Medicare, may also be indirectly affected, as the transparency may lead to changes in their care provision.
- The National Practitioner Data Bank, which collects data on healthcare providers, and state licensing authorities are also stakeholders due to their roles in the dissemination and collection of information.
Reasoning
- This policy primarily impacts healthcare practitioners associated with Medicaid and Medicare providers, as it introduces a new level of accountability based on their disciplinary records.
- The elderly and disabled populations, major consumers of Medicaid and Medicare services, are indirectly affected due to potential changes in care quality and transparency.
- The distribution of impacted individuals includes a mix of healthcare practitioners, who might be adversely affected by revealed disciplinary actions, and patients, who might benefit from improved transparency.
- Cost considerations include implementation of systems to access and use the National Practitioner Data Bank efficiently within the allocated budget, alongside the potential costs associated with disciplinary outcomes, such as retraining or staff replacement.
- Since the act involves accessing a national database and impacts various healthcare facilities nationally, the number of people directly involved or affected is relatively high, albeit indirectly through healthcare service improvement.
Simulated Interviews
Registered Nurse (New York, NY)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support the transparency that the PROTECTS Act will bring about, even though I understand it may affect some practitioners negatively if they have past disciplinary issues.
- As a nurse, I see first-hand how important it is for patients to trust their healthcare providers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired Engineer (Houston, TX)
Age: 67 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's reassuring to know that my healthcare providers will undergo thorough checks, which makes me feel safer about my treatments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Physician (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am confident in my practice and welcome the increased transparency, though it might stress some of my colleagues who have checkered pasts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Healthcare Administrator (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will require us to be more diligent in our hiring processes, but it should help ensure we maintain quality standards.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Licensed Practical Nurse (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's slightly intimidating starting a career with such transparency requirements, but I think it ultimately helps us to strive for better practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Retired, former teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 78 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy ensures I'm always receiving the best care possible because it will keep my doctors more accountable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Physical Therapist (Denver, CO)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could lead to some delays in hiring as checks become more rigorous, but overall I think it's beneficial for patient care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
General Practitioner (Boston, MA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am supportive of the act as it promotes accountability, but it could unfairly impact those who have reformed after past issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Retired Healthcare Worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 83 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing more about the practitioners I depend on instills confidence in the care I receive. However, it makes me concerned for those who might lose jobs because of past mistakes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Nurse Practitioner (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This transparency is vital for patient trust, though it can bring stress to practitioners concerned about past indiscretions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $48000000 (Low: $38000000, High: $68000000)
Year 3: $47000000 (Low: $37000000, High: $67000000)
Year 5: $45000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $65000000)
Year 10: $43000000 (Low: $33000000, High: $63000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The need for improved infrastructure and training to handle increased data flow and access requests.
- Potential resistance or compliance issues from healthcare providers regarding the transparency of disciplinary records.
- Assessing the balance between transparency and privacy of health practitioners.