Capitol Update, brought to you by the American Nurses Association
Capitol Update, a legislative newsletter for nurses
Volume 6/Issue Number 5 May 30, 2008
Article Photo Congressional Nursing Caucus Holds Briefing on Safe RN Staffing

On May 8, the American Nurses Association joined the Congressional Nursing Caucus to co-host a luncheon briefing on Nurse Staffing. The Briefing, titled "RN Safe Staffing: States Prove Solutions are Possible" featured speakers from Illinois, Washington, and Ohio - all states that have recently seen great success in moving safe staffing legislation through collaboration and coalition building among stakeholders.
Congressional Budget Would Invest in Health Care

The House and Senate have produced a conference agreement on the fiscal year (FY) 2009 Budget Resolution, which is expected to pass when Congress reconvenes in June. This $3.03 trillion budget (S.Con.Res. 70) proposes to spend $5.2 billion more in discretionary health care spending than President Bush has proposed. ANA is in favor of this important support for health care funding. However, the real work of appropriating funds and updating health care policy is not expected to occur until next year.
Medicaid Regs Delayed by Proposed Legislation and Regulation

A veto-proof majority of the Senate voted May 22 to include in its supplemental war funding bill an ANA-supported moratorium on seven controversial Medicaid regulations. The House of Representatives had passed the same moratorium, which would delay the Medicaid regulations until April 1, 2009, by a similar veto-proof majority one week earlier. Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement on May 21 delaying the implementation of some of these regulations until August 1, 2008.
ANA Endorses Kid Safe Chemical Act

On May 20, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Reps. Hilda Solis (D-CA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced the Kid Safe Chemicals Act (S. 3040/H.R. 6100). This ANA-supported legislation would protect Americans, especially children, from toxic chemicals in everyday consumer products. ANA believes that protection from exposure to toxic chemicals is fundamental both to public health and to the protection of nurses in the workplace.

Medicare Adding New Hospital-Acquired Conditions, Nursing-Sensitive Quality Reporting Measures


Medicare's annual update of its inpatient hospital reimbursement system (IPPS) includes proposals to add 9 new "hospital-acquired conditions," and 43 new hospital quality reporting measures - including 4 "nursing sensitive" measures. The proposed rule was published on April 30, with public comments due by June 13, and final regulations projected for August 2008. These measures will have a significant impact upon nurses employed in hospitals, who will be called upon to play a major role in both preventing complications from occurring, and reporting data to ensure proper reimbursement. As a consequence, these could lead to greater recognition of the importance of safe and adequate nurse staffing in ensuring quality of care for our patients.

Legislating Nursing Education Advancement; What Does It Mean?

New Jersey and New York are pursuing legislation that would require registered nurses to attain a bachelor's degree within ten years of initial licensure. This approach, first introduced in legislation by New York in 2005, is unlike any nursing education policy change attempted in the past. Both New York and New Jersey have introduced bills advancing the policy for the current, 2007-2008 legislative session, and interest in the initiative is growing in other states. So why are the state nurses associations behind this movement? And what will this mean for the registered nurses in those states if the law is passed?
Copyright 2008 American Nurses Association
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Nurses Will Make House Calls! ANA Lobby Day on Capitol Hill -- Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Don't miss this great opportunity to show our elected officials that nurses are aware, active, and committed to the issues that affect the quality of care we are able to deliver to our patients and their constituents.
Who me? Run for political office? I don't think so!!

Ever wonder what it might be like to run for office? Wonder no more!

PQRI & Physician Compare Website

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has added alternative reporting periods and reporting criteria to increase participation in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). This program, which began in 2007, provides incentive payments to physicians and other healthcare providers for reporting data on 119 quality measures in services to Medicare patients. Nurse practitioners may also participate, and many RNs are involved in the reporting process. Those who reported for the second half of 2007 will receive 1.5 percent incentive payments in mid-2008. In addition, CMS is considering using PQRI data to develop a Physician Compare website.
RISNA Celebrates Nurses Week in a Big Way with a Government Affairs Theme

The Rhode Island Nurses Association (RSNA) hosted a number of events in observance of the 2008 Nurses Week in which ANA State Government Affairs Associate Director, Janet Haebler was invited to participate. The government affairs-themed celebration kicked off on the evening of Wednesday, May 7th with a panel presentation, entitled "Do Politics Matter To You? You Bet Your Practice They Do!" A discussion with the audience, which included representatives of a number of health care professions, followed.
New Consumer Protections For Medicare Advantage & Part D

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed enhanced protections for beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) health plans and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. These are intended to strengthen marketing standards and extend additional protections to all beneficiaries, including those receiving the low-income subsidy (LIS) and those enrolled in special needs plans.
ANA Welcomes New Staff

Greetings, ANA! My name is Hilary Hansen and I've recently joined the ANA Government Affairs Department. I will work with Rachel Conant as a Senior Political Action Specialist. Prior to joining the team, I worked at the DC law firm Drinker, Biddle and Reath as a Government Relations Manager. While there, I focused primarily on health care-related clients and assisted them with grassroots and grasstops advocacy activities designed to engage members in legislative advocacy, including Capitol Hill Lobby Days.
Nursing Scholarship Program

The nursing scholarship program is now accepting applications for 2008. The deadline to apply is next Friday, June 6, 2008. In exchange for at least two years service in a facility with a critical shortage of nurses, the nursing scholarship program pays tuition, a monthly stipend of $1,233 and fees for nursing students.