Capitol Update, brought to you by the American Nurses Association
Capitol Update, a legislative newsletter for nurses
Volume 3/Issue 1 January 12, 2005
Article Photo Health Care Tops the Agenda of the New Congress

Fifty new members of Congress were sworn in on January 4, 2005. The 109th Congress began with unfinished healthcare-related business from last year vying for lawmakers' attention along with tsunami relief, the war in Iraq, and Social Security reform. Several of the 41 new representatives and nine new senators have healthcare ties. Among the healthcare issues on Congress' agenda are medical malpractice reform, Medicaid reform, association health plans, and prescription drug reimporation. Meanwhile, confirmation hearings are expected to begin later this month or in early February for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary nominee Michael Leavitt, a former Utah governor and current Environmental Protection Agency administrator. Following is a summary of a few of the health care items that top the agenda for the new Congress.
108th Congress Limps to a Close

After two lame duck sessions, the 108th Congress finally adjourned on December 8, 2004. The contentious two-year term was marked by the passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA, P.L. 108-173) which makes the largest wholesale changes to the program since its inception. In addition, Congress left town just after having finalized work on the FY 2005 appropriations bill. Other issues, such as prescription drug reimportation, medical malpractice reform, and medical errors reporting were left unfinished. Following is a brief wrap-up of the 108th Congress.

HHS Regulatory Priorities for 2005

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has outlined its regulatory priorities for fiscal year 2005. Appearing in the December 13, 2004 Federal Register, the HHS 2005 regulatory agenda outlined four overarching themes; modernizing Medicare, improving HHS's ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters, reducing medical errors and improving patient safety, and protecting America's consumers.

As the federal agency responsible for a broad range of programs designed to protect the health, social and economic well being of the American public, the Department of Health and Human Services touches the lives of virtually every person in our country, citizens and non-citizens alike. HHS programs and activities include: Medicaid, Medicare, support for public health preparedness, biomedical research, substance abuse and mental health treatment, assurance of safe and effective drugs and other medical products, food safety, financial assistance to low income families, Head Start, and direct health care service delivery.
AHRQ Survey for Hospitals Measure and Improve Patient Safety Culture

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)has released a new tool to help hospitals and larger health systems evaluate employee attitudes about patient safety in their facilities or within specific units. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, which was released in partnership with Premier, Inc., the Department of Defense (DoD), and the American Hospital Association (AHA), addresses a critical aspect of patient safety improvement: measuring organizational conditions that can lead to adverse events and patient harm.

As noted by AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D., improving patient safety is not just a function of having the best research findings available. There also has to be an environment or culture that encourages health professionals to share information about patient safety problems and actions that can be taken to make care safer. This culture also must support the organization in making any changes that are needed in how care is delivered.

copyright 2005, American Nurses Association
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Election 2004 Results: What will be the impact on healthcare?

Another election day has come and gone, but no one will soon forget the hard work of nurses on behalf pro-nursing candidates across the country. An unprecedented number of nurses came together this election cycle to support candidates who share their commitment to safe, quality patient care and the nursing profession. Through their activism and advocacy, these nurses made sure that voters and candidates in races from Maine to California heard the voice of nursing.

While the 2004 congressional races have resulted in a further strengthening of the Republican majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, winning candidates from both parties promised that reform of the nation's healthcare system would be a top priority if elected.

Nurses on the Move

Carolyn Dolan, MS, RN, CS has been selected to serve in the 2005 Department of Health and Human Services Primary Health Care Policy Fellowship. The purpose of the six month Fellowship scheduled to start in January 2005 is to provide a unique learning experience for early-to-mid career professionals with 5-10 years professional experience in any combination of primary health; care/service, academics, research and administration.

David Keepnews, JD, PhD, RN has been appointed by the American Medical Association Board of Trustees to serve on the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Health Care Professionals Advisory Committee (HCPAC) for a two year term.

Katherine Bradley, PhD, RN has also been appointed to serve as ANA's representative to the Health Professions Payment Advisory Committee (HCPAC) to the AMA Relative Value Update Committee. She has most recently served as ANA's representative on the Practice Expense Advisory Committee.
2005 Congressional Calendar

The following is the tentative calendar for the House of Representatives and the Senate for the first session of the 109th Congress. The Presidential inauguration will be held on Thursday, January 20. The President's fiscal year 2006 budget is scheduled to be released on Monday, February 7.
AMA House of Delegates 2004 Interim Meeting

ANA staff attended the 2004 American Medical Association House of Delegates Interim Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, December 4-7, 2004. At this meeting ANA identified their four primary objectives which includes: insuring access to quality health care for all Americans; eliminating racial and ethnic health care disparities; curing the medical liability system and revising the Medicare physician payment system. Underlying all of these is their number one priority, patients.