Legislation will streamline patient access to
nurse practitioner care
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Association of Nurse
Practitioners® (AANP) co-hosted a briefing at the
U.S. Capitol, along with the American Association of Nurse
Anesthesiology, American Nurses Association and American College of
Nurse-Midwives, to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan
Improving Care and Access to
Nurses (ICAN) Act (H.R. 2713/S.
2418). The ICAN Act will strengthen patient access to care and
increase the efficiency of our nation's health care
system by removing federal barriers to practice
for nurse practitioners (NPs) and other advanced practice
registered nurses (APRNs).
"The ICAN Act will modernize our health care system to ensure
patients receive timely, high-quality care from their chosen health
care provider," said Stephen A.
Ferrara, DNP, president of AANP. "NPs are the providers of
choice for millions of patients. Now is the time to ensure that the
policies governing our nation's health care system reflect who is
providing care."
The nation's 385,000 licensed NPs deliver care to millions of
patients across the nation. As the largest and fastest-growing,
Medicare-designated provider specialty, 83% of NPs treat Medicare
patients and 82% of NPs treat Medicaid patients. Despite the
essential health care NPs provide, barriers still exist within the
Medicare and Medicaid programs that prevent the effective and
efficient delivery of care. It is critical that Medicare and
Medicaid patients who choose NPs receive timely access to
high-quality health care.
The ICAN Act will increase access to health care services for
patients across the country by removing outdated federal barriers
to care, including:
- Authorizing NPs to order cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation
services.
- Authorizing NPs to certify their patients' need for diabetic
shoes and refer patients for medical nutrition therapy.
- Authorizing NPs to certify home infusion plans of care and
patients' need for hospice.
- Authorizing the removal of unnecessary barriers to practice in
facilities and streamlining care delivery.
To learn more, visit https://ican.aanp.org
The American Association of Nurse
Practitioners® (AANP) is the largest professional
membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all
specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 385,000
licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at
the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy;
promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and
establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other
health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse
Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as
providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive,
patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community,
visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs,
visit aanp.org.
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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)