Capitol Update, brought to you by the American Nurses Association
Capitol Update, a legislative newsletter for nurses
Volume 5/Issue 4 April 30, 2007
Article Photo Extra! Extra! Read All About ANA's Legislative and Regulatory Priorities for the 110th Congress!

At the beginning of every new congress the Committee on Legislation meets to identify its recommendations for federal legislative priorities for ANA. The ANA Board of Directors has approved the Committee's recommendations, and our Legislative and Regulatory Priorities for the 110th Congress are now available online.
Majority of Senators Support Increased Nursing Education Funding

On April 19, 2007 Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a letter signed by 51 Senators to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging a $50 million increase in funding for nursing workforce development programs. This powerful show of support for nursing appropriations would not have been possible without the push provided by more than 400 hundred nurses who contacted their Senators to urge them to sign this letter.
Medicaid APRN Access Bill Reintroduced in House

Rep. John Olver (D-MA) reintroduced the Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurse and Physician Assistant Access Act (H.R. 2066) on April 26. ANA is working to convince Congress to include this important legislation in a broader measure reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). You can help by contacting your Congressional delegation and urging them to cosponsor the Medicaid APN Access Act!
Hope for Long-Awaited Action on Mental Health Parity in the 110th Congress

Legislation under consideration in the U.S. House and Senate would require group health insurers to cover mental health care at the same level as physical health care. The bills, S. 558, "The Mental Health Parity Act of 2007," and H.R. 1424,"The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act," take slightly different approaches, but both aim to end longstanding insurance discrimination and remove barriers to care for those facing mental illness.
Medicare Medication Price Negotiation Bill Dies in Senate

On April 18, the Senate failed to pass The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, ANA-endorsed legislation that would have allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers. The 55 to 42 vote failed to stop debate in the Senate and places the future of this bill in doubt.

CMS Quality Reporting Program Starts July 1, 2007

To encourage quality improvement and cost containment in the Medicare program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to implement a program that authorizes financial incentives for eligible professionals who participate in a voluntary quality reporting program. Eligible professionals, including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), who choose to participate and successfully report on a designated set of quality measures for services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and provided between July 1 and December 31, 2007, may earn a bonus of 1.5 percent of their charges during that period.

Legislating Assistive Personnel to Administer Medication

Is the use of assistive personnel, trained to administer medications the best approach in promoting safe, quality care during a nursing shortage? Currently there are eleven states which permit the administration of medications in select settings by assistive personnel, given completion of the required training, and in 2007, nine additional states have introduced legislation to authorize the practice. Some nurses say they are happy to give this "task" away. But is medication administration a task, and what does delegation to assistive personnel mean for the nurse?
copyright 2007, American Nurses Association
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The Next Presidential Election is Right Around the Corner - Who Will ANA Support?

Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Barack Obama, Rudy Guiliani, John Edwards, Mitt Romney, maybe Al Gore, and quite possibly the guy from the TV show "Law & Order." What do these people all have in common? One of them could be sworn in as the next President of the United States in January 2009.

Take Part! May 2 Day of Action on Mental Health Parity Bill

Supporters of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 (H.R. 1424) have organized a day of action to help advance the bill. This ANA-supported bill would end longstanding insurance discrimination and remove barriers to care for those facing mental illness. Take part in this nation-wide effort Wednesday, May 2 by calling your Representative toll-free. Read the full article to learn more.
Washington State Nurses Association Integral in Passing First Ban On All PBDEs

Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) has worked tirelessly with a coalition of other health, fire, and environmental groups to make Washington State a global leader in eliminating the toxic flame retardants known as PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers). That work paid off on April 17, 2007 when legislation was signed into law banning the use of PBDEs in the state of Washington reducing risks to people and the environment.
House Passes Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

On Wednesday, April 25, 2007, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the ANA-endorsed Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493) by a vote of 420-3. This bill would expand the prohibition against discrimination by group health plans and health insurance issuers on the basis of genetic information.
FDA Approves Vaccine Against Asian Flu Virus

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the first approval of a vaccine to be used for humans against the H5N1 influenza virus, commonly known as avian or bird flu. According to the FDA, the vaccine could be used in the event the current H5N1 avian virus were to develop the capability to efficiently spread from human to human, resulting in the rapid spread of the disease across the globe. Should such an influenza pandemic emerge, the vaccine may provide early limited protection in the months before a vaccine tailored to the pandemic strain of the virus could be developed and produced.
Keeping Track: Congressional Nursing Caucus

Thanks to your help, Congressional Nursing Caucus membership has grown! The Caucus, which provides a non-partisan forum for members of Congress to discuss and address issues that impact the nursing profession, currently boasts 110 members. Is your Representative on the list?
CMS Issues Guidance on Hospital Emergency Services Requirements

On April 26th, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance clarifying the responsibility of hospitals to provide emergency services if they participate in the Medicare program.