Legislation Would Make Patient-Brokering Illegal in Pennsylvania

Bucks County Democratic lawmakers are proposing legislation designed to punish drug treatment and testing companies that use vulnerable patients to help boost their profits. State Senator Steven Santarsiero, D-10, of Lower Makefield, and Representatives Tina Davis, D-141, of Bristol Township and Perry Warren, D-31, of Newtown Township, on Thursday unveiled a proposed bill that would make it a felony for health care providers, including drug and alcohol treatment centers, to give or receive money, perks, or other compensation in exchange for patient referrals. The number of licenses for drug and alcohol treatment programs issued in Pennsylvania jumped from 570 to 824 between 2012 and last year, with the biggest surge in the last three years, according to Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) data. To read the complete article, please use this link. Questions, please contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

(Source: The Intelligencer; “Legislation would make patient-brokering illegal in Pennsylvania” by Jo Ciavaglia, June 7, 2019)