Repeal WITHOUT Replace?!

  

Major policy changes require serious debate.

Congress is discussing the future of the Affordable Care Act – and the conversation in Washington right now could lead to a repeal without any plan for replacement, leaving care for your patients up in the air.

House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have the power to get Congress back on track – share your thoughts now on the Affordable Care Act and the impact you’ve seen it have on your patients. We’ll deliver your message right to their offices.

Nurses along with other health care providers, patients and advocates are speaking out against this plan – or lack thereof – and are calling for solutions that protect the most critical components of the law, including access to coverage.

Repealing without any replacement is simply irresponsible. The majority of Americans support the critical parts of the ACA – like protections for pre–existing conditions, retaining coverage for adult children, and increasing access to preventative services – all of which would be wiped away without a plan in place.

You know what your patients need. Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan don’t. It’s as simple as that.

Will you raise your voice to help stop this insanity? Share your experience and perspective with Speaker Ryan and Leader McConnell. Demand that they find a better way forward for all Americans.

Thank you for standing up for your patients!

HHS Guidance Recognizes Contributions of Nursing

  

During today’s White House press conference, President Trump highlighted some of his Administration’s early executive actions, including a government-wide hiring freeze. Late last week we learned that nurses would be exempt from the order.

Inside Health Policy obtained a copy of the guidance issued by HHS Acting Deputy Secretary Coleen Barros, which detailed the agency’s intentions for implementing the President’s January 23rd Executive Order.

The memo identifies occupations related to public health and medical emergencies under statute, including the Public Health Service Act, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Social Security Act, as well as initiatives related to the opioid epidemic, pandemic influenza, Ebola and Zika.

Nurse Workforce Legislation Introduced in House

  

Yesterday, Congressman David Joyce (R-OH), joined by a bipartisan group of colleagues, including Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Patrick Meehan (R-PA), and Kathy Castor (D-FL), introduced the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017, (H.R.959).

joyce

Since the start of the 115th Congress, ANA has been working with key champions in the House to re-introduce the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, legislation that incentivizes nurses practicing in rural and medically underserved communities, and supports advanced nursing education, diversity grants, National Nurse Service Corp, nurse faculty loan forgiveness, and geriatric education.

ANA is currently working with its Senate champions to introduce companion legislation in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we’ll be busy gathering cosponsors and pushing to advance the bill.

Last year we successfully passed the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act in the House but ran out of time in the Senate.

Help us push these critical programs over the finish line by contacting your Members of Congress.