Health Policy & Advocacy
Historical Sign-On Letters
Sign-On letters are policy-oriented letters sent to members of Congress, congressional committees or federal agencies expressing the viewpoint of the signatories.
APHON Supports Access to Care
December 2018
APHON joined a letter that supported H.R. 6836, the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act. This bill would require that Medicaid cover routine costs associated with participation in clinical trials.
American Academy of Nursing
February 2018
Position Statement from the American Academy of Nursing
APHON supported a position statement on full practice authority for advanced practice registered nurses written by the American Academy of Nursing.
View press release and full position statement
Alliance for Childhood Cancer
March 2018
APHON Supports Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program
APHON joined the Nursing Community Coalition in asking the Department of Defense for funding for the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program and encourage Congress to ultimately establish a separate program for young adult, adolescent, and pediatric cancers. Any new developments that result from this research program will affect providers and patients alike, changing the way that cancer is treated and how to provide survivorship care to cancer survivors.
APHON Supports Cancer Funding
APHON joined the Nursing Community Coalition in encouraging the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services to increase funding for various programs and institutes (National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute). Specifically, the letter asks for a $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health plus a $215 million increase from 21st Century Cures funding for a total of over $38 billion and an over $400 million increase for the National Cancer Institute for a total of over $6.2 billion.
Nursing Community Coalition
November 2018
APHON Supports Title VIII Reauthorization
The Title VIII NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program, one of the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs, was created to assist those nurses who are willing to work in the areas with critical staffing needs and depressed salaries. A last minute provision to add for-profit facilities in the program could put the entire program in jeopardy. APHON joined with the Nursing Community Coalition to support Title VIII Reauthorization as it currently stands.
January 2018
Title VIII Funding
APHON joined the Nursing Community Coalition in asking the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to fund each the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) with at least the levels proposed by the Senate's Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee bill totaling $234.472 million for Title VIII programs and $155.210 million for NINR in FY 2018.
Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017
APHON joined the Nursing Community Coalition in asking the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to make the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Authorization Act of 2017 (HR 959 and S 1109, respectively) a priority during the second session of the 115th Congress. Support for this would reauthorize Title VIII funding through 2020.
Sickle Cell Disease Coalition
February 2018
Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act (H.R. 2410)
APHON joined the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition to support the Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act (H.R. 2410). This legislation would give the Centers for Disease Control the authority to carry out programs related to SCD, the complications related to the disease, and sickle cell trait.
Patient Quality of Life Coalition
September 218
APHON Supports Revisions to Payment Policies
APHON supported a letter that proposed changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the Quality Payment Program in order to better support care for patients with serious illnesses and chronic conditions.
APHON Supports Access to Pain Medications For Hospice and Palliative Care
APHON supported a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid supporting changes to opioid policy, but proposed several guiding principles to ensure that cancer patients and others with serious illnesses would be exempt from opioid exemptions.
APHON Provides Comments to Senate HELP Committee on Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018
April 2018
APHON joined the Patient Quality of Life Coalition in providing a response to the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. The letter noted that PQLC supported efforts the efforts in the bill but asked for Congress to consider the needs of hospice and palliative care patients.
Alliance for Childhood Cancer
February 2017
Protect Coverage for Children with Cancer and their Families
APHON joined members of the Alliance for Childhood Cancer in urging Congressional leaders to protect coverage for children with cancer and their families, as changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other health care programs are debated.
Healthcare
September 2017
APHON Concerned with Provisions in Right to Try Legislation
APHON joined patient and provider groups urging Congress to facilitate discussion and consideration of alternative policies that would genuinely increase access to promising investigational therapies.
APHON Calls on Congress to Extend CHIP Funding
APHON joined other advocates for children and pregnant women in urging Congress to enact a five-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which provides high-quality, cost-effective coverage for low-income children and pregnant women in working families.
June 2017
APHON Concerned with Changes to Medicaid
APHON joined other organizations with concern about potential changes to the fundamental structure and purpose of Medicaid.
APHON Supports Expanded Access Principles
As policymakers debate changes to the way in which unapproved therapies are accessed, APHON agrees that changes should adhere to the principles outlined the document.
American Academy of Pediatrics
April 2017
APHON Supports BPCA/PREA Recommendations
APHON joined the American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations in support of recommendations to strengthen the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act/Pediatric Research Equity Act.
Center to Advance Palliative Care
April 2017
APHON Supports Recommendations for Pediatric Alternative Payment Model
APHON joined an initiative from the Center to Advance Palliative Care to provide recommendations to CMS on the development of a Pediatric Alternative Payment Model.
Nursing Community Coalition
May 2017
APHON Concerned with Proposed Budget Cuts
APHON joined members of the Nursing Community in a statement expressing concerns with deep cuts to the Nursing Workforce Development Programs (Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act).
March 2017
APHON Supports Fiscal Year 2018 Funding Request
APHON supported testimony provided by the Nursing Community to the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies requesting $244 million for the HRSA Nursing Workforce Development programs and $160 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR).
February 2017
APHON Supports Title VIII Reauthorization
APHON joined with the Nursing Community in a statement commending the reintroduction of the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act.
January 2017
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Support
APHON joined with members of the Nursing community in urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to include Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists as part of its full implementation of the final rule pertaining the practice of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.
January 2017
Introductory Letter to Congress
APHON joined with members of the Nursing Community in a letter to the House and Senate outlining the core principles of the coalition and highlighting its policy agenda.
December 2016
Support of Policy Principles
APHON joined with members of the Nursing Community in a letter to the Presidential Transition Team outlining the core principles of the coalition and highlighting its policy agenda.
Patient Quality of Life Coalition
March 2017
Reintroduction of the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act
APHON joined members of the Patient Quality of Life Coalition in support of the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) which would improve the training of interdisciplinary health professionals in palliative care.