HCW-00057 Ormond, Dallen

Submission Number: 00057
Received:4/29/2015 10:49:25 PM
Commenter: DallenOrmond
Organization:Families First Pediatrics
State:Utah

Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Initiative:FTC, DOJ to Host Second Public Workshop on Examining U.S. Health Care Competition; Project No. P13-1207
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
Unnecessary state law limiting Nurse Practitioner practice creates a discriminatory process by which the top insurance carrier in the state (Intermountain Healthcare) to pay NP's less for the same services. The reduced rate makes the Nurse Practitioner less profitable than a physician. This causes medical groups to only allow NP's to bill "incident-to" physician services. Incident-to services severely limit patient access to care and services by NP's. Further Utah state law which prohibits physicians and NP's from owning a business together limits the ability of an NP to compete in the industry. These laws are a restriction of trade and have no bearing on public safety.