ACNP Action Alert

Posted about 14 years ago

American College of Nurse Practitioners

Action Alert:

Reps. Walden, Schwartz Introduce Legislation
Enabling NPs to Order Medicare Home Health Services

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR) and Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) yesterday introduced H.R. 2267, the "Medicare Home Health Planning Improvement Act," legislation that will authorize nurse practitioners (NPs) to order home health services in the Medicare program and clarify recent requirements for a face-to-face encounter between a patient and a provider prior to certification for home health services, allowing NPs to sign the final plan of care.

A bipartisan group of 27 Representatives endorsed H.R. 2267 as original cosponsors of the legislation (cosponsors are listed below). Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Kent Conrad introduced companion legislation (S. 227) in the Senate January 31 that has the endorsement of five other cosponsors (also listed below).

"This legislation implements one of the key recommendations of the landmark 2010 Institute of Medicine report on the future of nursing and removes a long-standing obstacle that prevents nurse practitioners from fully meeting the health care needs of Medicare patients," said ACNP Washington representative, Dave Mason. "It also saves money for the Medicare program. Independent analysts estimate that enacting this legislation would save about $275 million over the next ten years."

ACNP encourages members to contact their Representatives and Senators and urge them to support improving the Medicare program by cosponsoring H.R. 2267 or S. 227. If your Representative or Senators are already cosponsors of the "Medicare Home Health Planning Improvement Act," contact them to thank them for their support.

(For more information on H.R. 2267 and S. 227, go to the ACNP website at www.acnpweb.org)

Current Cosponsors

H.R. 2267
Lead sponsor: Rep Walden, Greg [R-OR]

Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [D-PA]

Rep Barletta, Lou [R-PA]
Rep Bass, Charles F. [R-NH]
Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [R-CA]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR]
Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [D-IA]
Rep Brady, Robert A. [D-PA]
Rep Capps, Lois [D-CA]
Rep Chandler, Ben [D-KY]
Rep Cicilline, David N. [D-RI]
Rep Coffman, Mike [R-CO]
Rep Ellison, Keith [D-MN]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ]
Rep Hanabusa, Colleen W. [D-HI]
Rep Hanna, Richard L. [R-NY]
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC]
Rep Lance, Leonard [R-NJ]
Rep Langevin, James R. [D-RI]
Rep Latham, Tom [R-IA]
Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [R-OH]
Rep Lee, Barbara [D-CA]
Rep Neal, Richard E. [D-MA]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL]
Rep Schrader, Kurt [D-OR]
Rep Terry, Lee [R-NE]
Rep Thompson, Mike [D-CA]
Rep Wu, David [D-OR]

S. 227
Lead sponsor: Sen Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Sen Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Sen Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] Sen Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

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