Barnes, Kulkarni Address Women Legislators

This week, Michael C. Barnes, JD and Shruti Kulkarni, JD presented at the National Foundation for Women Legislators Annual Conference. They were joined by Dr. Shannon Ginnan, physician and Medical Director of the nonprofit Aimed Alliance. Their presentation, “Doctors in Distress: Avoiding Health Care Provider Shortages,” examined provider shortages, with a specific focus on contributing factors to and recommendations for addressing these shortages. Topics included interference with doctors’ professional judgment by insurers, coverage practices such as step therapy and prior authorization and their associated administrative burdens, physician burnout, and the patient-physician relationship. The presentation concluded with recommendations for providers, insurers, state legislators, and state medical boards on addressing the issue of provider shortages.