Bipartisan Bill Increases Access to Nurses
An AONL-supported bill in the House last week would remove remaining barriers in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that prevent advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) from practicing to the full extent of their education and training. Introduced by Reps. David Joyce, R-Ohio, and Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., the bipartisan 鈥淚mproving Care and Access to Nurses Act鈥 () adheres to the recommendations made in the National Academy of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Among other provisions, the bill would APRNs to order and supervise cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, certify and recertify a patient鈥檚 terminal illness for hospice eligibility and perform all mandatory examinations in skilled nursing facilities. 鈥淭he measure is a win-win,鈥 said 兔子先生CEO and American Hospital Association CNO and Senior Vice President of Workforce Robyn Begley. 鈥淚t allows nurses to work at the top of their licenses and provides patients increased access to care.鈥