Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation Act; PAVE Act
Summary
The Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation Act (PAVE Act) aims to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. It seeks to include penicillin allergy verification and evaluation as part of the initial preventive physical examination under the Medicare program. This bill intends to address the issue of over-reporting of penicillin allergies and the associated negative health outcomes.
Expected Effects
The PAVE Act will integrate penicillin allergy verification into Medicare's initial preventive physical exams and annual wellness visits. This will involve identifying individuals reporting penicillin allergies, evaluating the consistency of their reported reaction history, providing information on the impact of a penicillin allergy label, and referring patients to specialists when needed. The changes will apply to examinations and visits on or after January 1, 2027.
Potential Benefits
- Reduced healthcare costs due to fewer unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotic prescriptions.
- Improved patient outcomes through more appropriate antibiotic use.
- Decreased hospital length of stay and reduced perioperative infections.
- Better antibiotic stewardship, helping to combat antibiotic resistance.
- Increased awareness among seniors about the importance of verifying penicillin allergies.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential increase in initial costs for Medicare due to the inclusion of allergy verification services.
- Possible strain on allergy and immunology specialists due to increased referrals.
- Risk of adverse reactions during verification testing, although this is generally low.
- Administrative burden for healthcare providers to implement the new verification protocols.
- Potential for incomplete or inaccurate allergy histories affecting the verification process.
Constitutional Alignment
The PAVE Act aligns with the Constitution's broad goals of promoting the general welfare (Preamble). Congress has the power to tax and spend for the general welfare, as outlined in Article I, Section 8. This act falls under that power as it aims to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce costs associated with misdiagnosed penicillin allergies within the Medicare program.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).