Capitol Update, brought to you by the American Nurses Association
Capitol Update, a legislative newsletter for nurses
Volume 3/Issue 8 September 6, 2005
Article Photo Congressional Nursing Caucus Hosts Briefing on ANA's Medicaid APRN Bill

The ANA sponsored a Congressional staff briefing on the Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistant's Access Act on August 16. The briefing, which was attended by staff members from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, was hosted by the Congressional Nursing Caucus. This successful event helped to educate Congress about the need to include increased access to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Medicaid reform.
Patient Navigator Bill Signed Into Law

The Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005, signed into law by President Bush on June 29, amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to eligible entities for the development and operation of programs that provide 'patient navigator' services to improve health care outcomes. Patient navigators assist patients in overcoming obstacles to the prompt diagnosis and treatment of health problems, in part by identifying sources of care and insurance, coordinating referrals, and facilitating enrollment in clinical trials. The bill also would require the Secretary to conduct a study and report to the Congress within six months of completion of the grant program.
ANA Supports Stroke Bill

The American Nurses Association has submitted a letter of support for the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act of 2005 (H.R. 898), which seeks to prevent stroke by educating the nation about the warning signs of stroke, and also treating those who are at risk or suffer from the debilitating effects of stroke.
Congress looking at Pay for Performance

ANA has endorsed legislation introduced by Representative Nancy Johnson (R-CT) on July 29, 2005 that would halt current cuts to Medicare Part B providers while instituting a pay-for-performance program. The Medicare Value-Based Purchasing for Physicians' Services Act of 2005 (H.R. 3617) would halt cuts to the Medicare physician fee schedule required by the current sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, and would replace it with a program that bases payment for physicians and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) on quality and efficiency measures. At the same time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has put forward their own pay-for-performance initiative.

CMS Proposal Requires Nursing Homes to Vaccinate Residents Against the Flu

Nursing homes serving Medicare and Medicaid patients would have to provide immunizations against influenza and pneumococcal disease to all residents if they want to continue in the programs, according to a proposed rule released by CMS in the August 15 Federal Register. Under the rule, unless refused by the patient or patient's family or for medical reasons, nursing homes would be required to ensure that each resident received the immunizations as a condition of participation in the two programs.

National Conference of State Legislators Meet in Seattle

The American Nurses Association (ANA) and The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) actively promoted ANA's Nationwide State Legislative Agenda on Nurse Staffing/Shortage at the Annual Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), August 16 ýÿ 20, 2005 in Seattle, Washington. NCSL is a bipartisan organization dedicated to serving the lawmakers and staff of the nation's states, commonwealths and territories. NCSL provides an open, bipartisan, national forum for lawmakers to share ideas, communicate with one another, and interact with organizations and individuals with specialized expertise on key issues such as health care. ANA has participated in NCSL's annual conference for the last 11 years.
copyright 2005, American Nurses Association
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California 48 Special Election

In late July, nine-term California Congressman Christopher Cox (R) resigned from his CA-48 Congressional seat following his confirmation as the Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Governor Schwarzenegger (R) has called for the Special Primary Election to be held on October 4th to fill the now vacant Congressional seat. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, the top vote getters from each party will face off in a runoff on December 6th. The field to replace Cox is extremely crowded with twenty announced candidates filing, including twelve Republicans and four Democrats. This almost guarantees a November runoff.
Nurses Throw Their Hats in the Ring - A 2006 Election Guide

Nurses are known for their compassion and dedication to their patients. Now nurses are being recognized as a strong political force. There are currently three nurses serving in the U.S. Congress and now four additional nurses are making a run in the 2006 election.

DEA Rule for Reporting Loss of Controlled Substances

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has submitted for publication in the Federal Register a final rule to clarify DEA regulations and procedures regarding reports by registrants of theft or significant loss of controlled substances. The DEA is publishing this final rule because there has been some confusion as to what constitutes a significant loss and when and how initial notice of a theft or significant loss should be provided to DEA.
Walter Reed Army Medical Center to Close at its Current Site

The 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) reviewing the Defense Department plans to close or shrink hundreds of military bases nationwide has voted to recommend relocation of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and construction of a $1 billion national medical center with the same name on the campus of the naval medical center in Bethesda, MD, about seven miles from the present Walter Reed.
Blakeney Again Ranked Among Most Powerful People in Healthcare

ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, RN was again voted to Modern Healthcare magazine' list of the "100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare." Blakeney, who has made the list each year since its inception in 2002, was ranked number 29, the highest ranking of any nursing official on the list.
Delegates defeat emergency resolution on APRN core exam at the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Annual Meeting

Delegates at the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) annual meeting in August defeated an emergency resolution that would have required NCSBN to determine the feasibility of developing an advanced practice nurse core licensure exam. Supporters of the resolution stated that a core licensure exam for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) would promote uniformity of regulation, encourage a broad scope of practice for APRNs and decrease confusion and the ambiguity of credentialing APRNs