The American Nurses Association recently hosted its annual Constituent Member Association (CMA) lobbyist meeting. More than forty representatives from thirty two state nurses associations (CMAs) were present for the two and one half day meeting which included visits to Capitol Hill. Many of the same issues that have challenged CMAs in previous legislative sessions continue, but now are compounded with state budget deficits and health care reform implementation on the horizon.

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The American Nurses Association (ANA) was proud to be among the participants in a nurse-only health care reform conference call with First Lady Michelle Obama and Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN, the administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). More than 5,000 nurses from across the country participated in the call which focused on how nurses can educate their patients about the new protections and benefits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

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This summer we saw a flurry of activity within agencies of the Obama Administration to produce rules implementing many provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These were in addition to, or sometimes included within, the standing framework of Medicare payment system updates which must be updated by regulation on an annual basis. While ACA’s programs and changes will be phased in over a period of years, with completion in 2014, federal health agencies have wasted no time hammering out the details. Numerous proposed rules, and even some interim final rules, have been issued – many with comment periods shorter than the customary 30 to 60 days from publication in the Federal Register. ANA’s Department of Government Affairs is teaming up with content experts in Nursing Practice and Policy to bring the nursing perspective to this process through written comments and meetings with agency officials. In addition, ANA’s National Center for Nursing Quality has continued to advocate for adoption of nursing-sensitive care measures in quality reporting by hospitals, while the Center for Environmental and Occupational Health has been busy working to create a healthier environment for nurses and patients.

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The debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA ) may be over, but the work has just begun. Many of the requirements will be implemented incrementally, between now and 2014 and beyond, but there are some immediate provisions necessitating federal regulations be promulgated fairly quickly. Not only are federal agencies feeling the pinch, but the new law has many implications for the states, which are still trying to gather the facts and ready for their expanded responsibilities. What can the states expect…….

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It’s only just begun…..Although the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Barack Obama, the debate over health care reform measures is just getting fired up, especially within the states.

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On Tuesday, March 23 ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR witnessed history as President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. Nurses around the country should be proud of their hard work. This historic legislation benefits both the nursing profession and the patients we serve.

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