In honor of National Nurses Week, the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nation’s largest nursing organization, headed to Capitol Hill. In conjunction with the Congressional Nursing Caucus, ANA sponsored a luncheon briefing on Tuesday, May 11th to highlight for Congressional staff the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform that will reduce our nation’s exposure to toxic chemicals, protect nurses and other workers, improve the health of Americans, and decrease the cost of health care.

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On May 12, ANA First Vice President Debbie Hatmaker, PhD, RN-BC, SANE-A testified before the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies on the need for additional funding for nursing workforce development programs. In addition, ANA also submitted a statement for the record to the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety’s hearing on Safe Patient Handling and Lifting Standards for a Safer American Workforce.

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ANA’s upcoming lobby day is approaching fast! On June 16th nurses from across the country will come to DC to show the advocacy power of nurses, ensuring that their voices are heard on Capitol Hill!

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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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We are beginning to see some significant changes in health care delivery and access as a result of the new healthcare reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Some changes are occurring through the federal regulatory process. Many new policies are taking shape within the states. And still others are being adopted voluntarily by private health insurers. We thought you might be interested in seeing the highlights of these recent developments that are designed to improve health care and access for our patients, our families, and our communities.

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As you may be aware, nursing leader and ANA member Mary Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, was recently appointed to be a commissioner on MedPAC, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. MedPAC is charged with advising Congress and CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) on Medicare and Medicaid policies, including annual payment updates for the Medicare prospective payment systems – such as the Physician Fee Schedule, which covers the reimbursement of APRNs (advanced practice registered nurses).

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