The PAVE Act requires Medicare to include penicillin allergy verification and evaluation as a covered service during seniors' initial preventive physical exams and annual wellness visits, effective January 1, 2025. The bill addresses a significant public health issue: research shows that over 90 percent of patients labeled with penicillin allergies can safely use penicillin after testing, yet the allergy label remains in their medical records, leading to worse health outcomes, longer hospital stays, and increased infections. The legislation requires doctors to identify patients reporting penicillin allergies, assess whether their reaction history suggests a true allergy, educate them about the dangers of the label, and refer them to an allergy specialist when appropriate. The bill does not specify additional Medicare funding but allows for separate payment when structured allergy validation services are provided alongside preventive exams. This change aims to improve antibiotic stewardship and patient outcomes by removing unnecessary allergy labels that prevent doctors from prescribing effective antibiotics.
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