Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Friday vetoed a bipartisan healthcare bill that would have clarified the distinction between direct primary care — which allows patients to pay physicians a monthly retainer for unlimited care — and health insurance, according to NBC.
A bill that would have defined the difference between DPC and insurance was introduced by 25th District Delegate Steve Landes (R) earlier this year. The bill unanimously passed the House in February with bipartisan support.
In his veto message, Gov. McAuliffe said he believes DPC deters people from buying health insurance, and suggests reintroducing the bill next year after additional research.
"While I applaud the patron's desire to increase access to care, I feel this concept needs further scrutiny and study," Gov. McAuliffe wrote in a statement. "Over the past three sessions, I have championed bringing federal taxpayer dollars back to the Commonwealth to cover more than 400,000 hardworking Virginians. A direct primary care agreement is merely a stop-gap measure in a time when bolder steps are needed. Not only would a product like this deter an individual from purchasing health insurance, it would still not cover any catastrophic care or chronic conditions requiring a specialist.
I proposed amending House Bill 685 by adding a reenactment clause to allow for further study. I am now vetoing this bill to allow more time to consider the potential challenges, issues and advantages associated with direct primary care agreements. While direct primary care agreements may be good in theory, more work needs to be done on how to best implement this change and protect consumers."