The Obama administration has proposed to lift a ban that prevents physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) from caring for Medicare patients in their homes rather than more expensive nursing facilities or other inpatient care centers.

They view PAs and NPs as key to expanding the number of primary care providers, which are in short supply in certain areas around the country. PAs and NPs have been working hard to gain direct access to patients in all states and writing proposals to expand their roles in Veterans Affairs facilities.

Following the lead of the Obama administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule to amend the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly, a program known as PACE which is designed to help seniors enrolled in Medicare and certain poor Americans covered by Medicaid gain access to services in their homes. If implemented, the proposal could allow Medicare reimbursement for these primary care providers within the year.