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Urge Your Members of Congress To Co-Sponsor S.59/H.R. 2066!

Contact your Members of Congress TODAY and tell them to cosponsor the Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act (S. 59/ H.R. 2066). The Medicaid APN Access Act changes federal Medicaid law to improve the recognition of health care services provided by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). This bill will increase access to essential health care services and increase state flexibility while removing current legal barriers to APRNs.

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Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I urge you to co-sponsor the Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act of 2007 (S. 59/H.R. 2066). This legislation will increase access to essential health care services and increase state flexibility while helping to control Medicaid spending.

Current law requires fee-for-service Medicaid to cover health care services provided by some Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 encouraged states to move Medicaid recipients into managed care but failed to recognize APRNs as participants in these plans. The BBA also encouraged states to use primary case managers as gatekeepers to care in the fee for service program, and gave the states the option to recognize pediatric and family nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives (CNMs) as case managers. Unfortunately, the BBA did not require these APRNs to be recognized, and it precludes the states from recognizing any other type of nurse practitioner as a case manager.

The Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act would remove these barriers to practice. Fee for service Medicaid coverage would be expanded to include services provided by all nurse practitioners (NPs) and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs).  All NPs would be recognized as primary care case managers. In addition, Medicaid managed care plans would be required to cover the services of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), CNSs, NPs, and CNMs in their provider panels. Taken together, these changes will greatly increase access to care for Medicaid patients.

Many studies have shown that APRNs provide cost-effective, high quality care. In addition, APRNs are often willing to provide services in rural and inner-city areas where access to physicians is limited. The Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act will ensure that Medicaid patients receive care in a timely and cost-efficient manner. By properly utilizing the services of APRNs, this bill will increase access to health care and decrease preventable acute care admissions and emergency room visits.

I hope that you can support Medicaid improvements by cosponsoring the Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act of 2007 (S. 59/H.R. 2066). Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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