Include Nurse Practitioners in the Definition of Medical Homes

Please use our talking points to call your Finance committee members today. You can reach your Senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

• I understand that the Senate Finance Committee is considering expanding The Medicare Medical Home Demonstration Project.   I am calling to urge you to include Nurse Practitioners in any such Medical Home project expansion

• Unfortunately, the current definition of “medical home” in the 2006 Medicare Act excludes NPs (and other health care providers), because it is limited to “board certified physicians.”  This definition of “medical home” needs to be expanded to include nurse practitioners who provide primary care. 

• Many nurse practitioners (NPs) serve as primary care providers – particularly family NPs, adult NPs, and pediatric NPs.  Their nursing background and perspective contribute to their perception as excellent PCPs by their patients.  NPs also meet the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) standards for a medical home.  

• MedPAC (the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission) supports the inclusion of NPs in medical homes.  MedPAC recently approved a definition of primary care providers, who may qualify as medical homes, which specifically included nurse practitioners.