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Action Needed--Tennessee Legislative Alert and Update--Support Full Practice in Tennessee for Nurse Practitioners, Let Your Voice Be Heard

Posted over 3 years ago by Alicia Frasure

Take Action Now: SB176/HB184
Update: SB176/HB184 by Senator Lundberg and Representative Ramsey is on the calendar for the Senate Commerce committee NEXT WEEK but we expect it to be heard the following week. We need you to call and email Legislators now.
What the opposition says about nurses: The TN Medical Association has continued to say that it is unsafe for APRNs to provide care to patients and that nurses need physician supervision. We need you to let legislators know that isn't true and that research proves APRNs are are educated, qualified and trained to provide care to safe, high quality care to patients without physician supervision and control.
Legislative Summary: SB176/HB184 as amended by Senator Lundberg and Representative Ramsey would remove mandated physician control of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses while keeping the regulation of the profession of nursing under the Board of Nursing. The "transition to prescribing" amendment we have agreed to would make it a transition out of chart review for APRNs with less than 3 years of experience. This handout explains more about the amendment. Remember: Full practice would not allow APRNs to do anything they are not currently allowed to do! Here are the talking points for the bill.
When: ACT NOW! This legislation is expected to be voted on in the next 2 weeks.
Who to contact: House Health Sub-Committee and Senate Commerce Committee members should me contacted immediately. Please personalize your emails and calls to them using the talking points and sample scripts below.
House Health Sub-Committee Members
Rep. Hall (615) 741-1350 Rep.Mark.Hall@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Sherrell (615) 741-1963 Rep.Paul.Sherrell@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Dr. Terry (615) 741-2180 Rep.Bryan.Terry@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. Smith (615) 741-2548 Rep.Robin.Smith@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. David Byrd (615) 741-2190
Rep. Dr. Kumar (615) 741-2860 Rep.Sabi.Kumar@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Ramsey (615) 741-3560 Rep.Bob.Ramsey@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Freeman (615) 741-0709 Rep.Bob.Freeman@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. Marsh (615) 741-6824 Rep.Pat.Marsh@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. Jernigan (615) 741-6959 Rep.Darren.Jernigan@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. Boyd (615) 741-7086 Rep.Clark.Boyd@capitol.tn.gov
Senate Commerce Committee Members
Sen. Akbari (615)741-1767
Sen. Bailey     (615) 741-3978
Sen. Johnson  (615) 741-2495
Sen. Niceley   (615) 741-2061
Sen. Reeves    (615) 741-1066
Sen. Southerland       (615) 741-3851
Sen. Swann    (615) 741-0981
Sen. Watson   (615) 741-3227
Sen. Yager      (615) 741-1449
Please personalize your talking points and stories!
  • Here is a handout you can attach to your email!
  • SB176/HB184 removes unnecessary and harmful barriers – and creates new opportunities to improve access to care across the state. APRNs are educated to evaluate, diagnose, initiate, and manage treatments, including prescribing medications. It’s time to let them do that and help Tennesseans improve their health rankings and outcomes!
  • It's common sense: by removing barriers, lawmakers make it easier and more affordable for patients to receive care.
  • Better access to health care means better outcomes for patients. Patient health outcomes should be the yardstick for licensure rules. Multiple research studies have proven that there is no evidence that a collaborative agreement mandate has any positive impact on patient health outcomes.
  • Updating the Nurse Practice Act ends a very costly and prohibitive mandate for APRNs to pay a doctor to review charts and prescriptions several weeks after the patient is cared for. Some may say this legislation is radical. What’s radical is how the state is resisting modernizing healthcare delivery by APRN practice to the benefit of all Tennesseans. APRNs are the Future of Primary Care as 72.6% of APRNs deliver primary care nationally. By 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the APRNs' role will grow by 36% compared to 13% for physicians. This statistic alone indicates how Tennessee is behind the curve when it comes to healthcare delivery.
  • When APRNs are able to practice to the full extent of their education, they are able to serve more Tennesseans and provide more options for healthcare services.
Don't forget a best practice for emailing legislators is to personalize the email. Remember to ask for their vote and include your name, address,
and THAT YOU ARE A NURSE!!
Here is a sample script you can you use:
Dear Representative/Senator,
My name is ________________. I am a (insert the type of nursing you practice). Please vote yes on SB176/HB184 as amended by Sen. Lundberg and Rep. Ramsey.
To improve access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Lee waived restrictions so Tennesseans could have more access and options to health care, including access to APRNs. We need to continue to allow APRNs to practice without the burden of collaborative agreements. This legislation will cut outdated, unnecessary requirements hindering APRNs from providing care to Tennesseans patients.
Less red tape means more access and more options for millions of Tennesseans living in primary care shortage areas. Please help cut red tape and allow APRNs to provide the same high-quality advanced nursing care they provide today to more patients at less cost, resulting in more access and options for Tennesseans.
Over 31 states, DC and the Veteran's Administration system have removed barriers to APRN care, reducing costs and providing access to care for patients. None of them have looked back. Removing unnecessary regulations on APRNs is a no-cost solution to improving access to care.
Will you vote yes on SB176/HB184?
Sincerely,
(Your Name and degrees)
(Your Contact Information)
Additional Talking Points/Information you might want to share with Legislators:
What this Legislation SB176/HB184 as amended Accomplishes: Removes the need for a collaborative practice agreement with a physician. Establishes the Board of Nursing as the only licensing body overseeing APRN practice. The APRN license meets the need for a fitness to prescribe. Allows APRNs to manage their practice without extra red tape and costs.
What is a collaborative agreement? Antiquated and burdensome contract between a physician and an APRN that allows the APRN to prescribe medication. It is a costly restriction mandating that the physician review patient charts of the APRN; the cost for this collaborative agreement is on average $1500/month per a recent survey conducted in Tennessee. The physician might never see the patient, yet the patient is usually billed for this mandate. There are no health or safety benefits to a patient when their chart is looked at 30 days after receiving treatment.
Why is healthcare more expensive in Tennessee?  Our laws and regulations result in higher costs for patients and taxpayers because added administrative and billing costs are passed along. Only physicians benefit from the current set up and costs of collaborative agreements. If Tennessee wants to continue to be attractive for economic and community development, it must provide world-class, affordable healthcare services that are readily available for all Tennesseans. Removing the barriers of practice for APRNs is one of the many cost-effective ways that Tennessee can move its healthcare system into the 21st century and ensure that Tennesseans are receiving the care they need.
Shouldn’t Tennesseans be able to choose who provides and cares for their families without the hidden surprise of a caregiver they have never seen billing for their services? Unfortunately, Tennessee law currently suppresses that choice by reducing the available supply of providers and restricting the range and services they can offer, thus increasing healthcare costs. Competition in health care markets benefits Tennesseans by helping to control costs, improve quality of care, promote innovative products, services and service delivery models, and expand access to healthcare services and goods.