The American Nurses Association held a congressional briefing on Sept. 27 in Washington, D.C., to urge lawmakers to support the bipartisan Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R. 2267, S. 227).
The bill would remove a barrier to practice in Medicare by ensuring that advanced practice registered nurses can sign home health plans. During the briefing, the ANA highlighted results from a study, conducted on behalf of the ANA and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, that found implementation of the law will save $309 million over 10 years in Medicare.
The bill would allow nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives to order home health services and fulfill the face-to-face requirement in accordance with state laws. Currently, according to the ANA, a "quirk" in Medicare law has denied APRNs the authority to sign home health plans and certify Medicare patients for the home health benefit despite APRNs' proven track record in providing timely access to quality patient care.
The briefing was the latest step in the ANA's ongoing efforts to advocate for passage of the bill. Last week it also hosted a Home Health Virtual Lobby Day to enable hundreds of nurses nationwide to contact their members of Congress in support of the legislation.
"As the [congressional] Super Committee searches for ways to save on government spending, with a cost savings of $309 million the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act is a great place to start," ANA President Karen Daley, RN, PhD, MPH, FAAN, said in a news release. "ANA strongly supports this critically important bipartisan legislation, which in addition to saving money, would ensure better patient access to care and remove barriers for nurses as qualified providers."
The bill is supported by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American College of Nurse Midwives, the American College of Nurse Practitioners, the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice.
"It is not right that APRNs and PAs can certify Medicare eligibility for skilled nursing facility services but are prohibited from certifying home health services to Medicare beneficiaries," Val J. Halamandaris, president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, said in the news release. "This legislation is long overdue."
To learn more about the ANA's work on the home healthcare issue, visit www.rnaction.org/homehealth.
The bill would remove a barrier to practice in Medicare by ensuring that advanced practice registered nurses can sign home health plans. During the briefing, the ANA highlighted results from a study, conducted on behalf of the ANA and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, that found implementation of the law will save $309 million over 10 years in Medicare.
The bill would allow nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives to order home health services and fulfill the face-to-face requirement in accordance with state laws. Currently, according to the ANA, a "quirk" in Medicare law has denied APRNs the authority to sign home health plans and certify Medicare patients for the home health benefit despite APRNs' proven track record in providing timely access to quality patient care.
The briefing was the latest step in the ANA's ongoing efforts to advocate for passage of the bill. Last week it also hosted a Home Health Virtual Lobby Day to enable hundreds of nurses nationwide to contact their members of Congress in support of the legislation.
"As the [congressional] Super Committee searches for ways to save on government spending, with a cost savings of $309 million the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act is a great place to start," ANA President Karen Daley, RN, PhD, MPH, FAAN, said in a news release. "ANA strongly supports this critically important bipartisan legislation, which in addition to saving money, would ensure better patient access to care and remove barriers for nurses as qualified providers."
The bill is supported by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American College of Nurse Midwives, the American College of Nurse Practitioners, the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice.
"It is not right that APRNs and PAs can certify Medicare eligibility for skilled nursing facility services but are prohibited from certifying home health services to Medicare beneficiaries," Val J. Halamandaris, president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, said in the news release. "This legislation is long overdue."
To learn more about the ANA's work on the home healthcare issue, visit www.rnaction.org/homehealth.
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