medical assistance Archives - Central Penn Business Journal

To meet the growing demand for medical assistants, UPMC, UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, and Central Penn College together are offering tuition-paid training.

Under this partnership, medical assistant students who successfully complete the program and are hired by UPMC will receive payments equivalent to the full cost of the programs, in addition to their salary.

“Medical assistants are talented, versatile health care professionals who perform clinical and administrative duties and are often one of the first people that patients see,” said Lou Baverso, president, UPMC in Central Pa. “Medical assistants are much-in-demand and a great way to enter into the fast-growing health care field where individuals can choose from a wide range of career paths.”

Jobs in medical assisting are already in high demand and are expected to grow 19% through 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As part of this initiative, Central Penn College will offer a new 12-month, 30-credit, Medical Assisting Diploma Program that requires students to attend full-time, in-person classes on the college’s Summerdale campus in Cumberland County.

Through a combination of funding from UPMC, Central Penn College, and UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, graduates who work at UPMC will receive tuition reimbursement. Students must complete at least two years of the work requirement at UPMC in Central Pa. facilities.

“Central Penn College is known for the strength of our medical assisting program, and we are proud of our reputation for producing highly qualified professionals for the booming health care industry,” said Dr. Linda Fedrizzi-Williams, Central Penn College’s president. “Because our educational offerings reflect the job market’s demands, our students are finding immediate success in their chosen field after graduation.”

Fedrizzi-Williams went on to say, “This partnership with UPMC is an important connection for our college and our students, as they have the opportunity to secure vital jobs in health care and are eligible to receive full reimbursement for their education after three successful years of employment. This innovative partnership not only represents ‘life-changing medicine’ for UPMC patients, but life-changing education for our students.”

As an added benefit, students also can work in a variety of full- and part-time positions that can accommodate their studies. “We will help interested students find the right position for them to work in a health care setting,” said Baverso.

Central Penn College is making the CPC Housing Scholarship, valued at $5,800 a year, available to all qualifying medical assisting enrollees who attend full-time.

Applicants for the Medical Assisting Diploma program must have a minimum GPA of a 2.0 from the official transcripts from the last school attended to be considered for acceptance. GED scores will be accepted. For the full list of requirements, visit www.centralpenn.edu/UPMC.

Classes will start Monday, Jan. 9, and the deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 23. Due to the medical nature of the Medical Assisting Diploma program, students will receive hands-on, experiential learning as part of the required, in-person classes at the Summerdale campus. The first term enrollment is limited to 20 students.

UPMC and Central Penn College are holding an informational event at the Summerdale campus on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 11:30 a.m. Admission counselors will answer questions regarding the Medical Assisting Diploma program, including how students, through scholarships and post-graduate reimbursements, can receive full tuition for their education.

A new profit-sharing agreement between Pennsylvania and its Medical Assistance physical health (PH) managed care organizations (MCOs) has been proposed to ensure taxpayer dollars benefit vulnerable citizens, Governor Tom Wolf announced.

Under the proposed agreement, which would take effect in 2023, PH-MCOs will be capped at annual profits of 3 % and be required to invest additional profits in approved initiatives and projects aimed at benefiting individual health and well-being.

“At a time when managed care organizations are seeing incredible returns, it is only right that excess dollars be funneled back into helping the very people those organizations serve,” Wolf said. “This agreement is a responsible use of public money and will put a cap on annual profits to allow the wealth to be shared among those who need it most.”

MCOs will be able to maintain 3 % profit annually under the proposed profit-sharing agreement. Each MCO will have an opportunity to submit proposals to retain these profits to be used to support initiatives in line with the goals of the Department of Human Services (DHS).

These goals include achieving health equity, employment supports, food security, housing, and programs focused on community development. The DHS’ Office of Medical Assistance Programs will approve and track each proposal’s measurable goals. All or a portion of the profits may be recouped by DHS should approved programs fail to meet their goals.

“Managed care organizations are important partners in our work to help Medical Assistance recipients access the care and services necessary to achieve the health and quality of life they deserve,” Acting Secretary Meg Snead said. “This profit-sharing agreement will allow us to ensure that taxpayer resources for this program can be used to further invest in the program’s mission or be returned to offset program costs.”

MCOs work with the DHS to negotiate and establish rates paid on a monthly basis based on how many members they have. To ensure the program remains financially solvent while allowing for profit of 2-3 %, capitation rates are developed.

Over the last three years, an overall increase in the physical health program’s profits have exceeded 3 %. As this trend is expected to continue, an opportunity exists to require investments by the PH-MCOs in the Medical Assistance population. The excess profit would be spent on people the funding is intended to benefit.

More than three million Pennsylvanians are covered by the Medical Assistance program. This profit-sharing agreement is intended to leverage Medical Assistance to ensure taxpayer money aids lower income and vulnerable Pennsylvanians.

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New agreement proposes to cap MCO profits to ensure taxpayer dollars benefit Pennsylvanians

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