Letter to House Sponsors of the Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act
June 20th, 2023
The Honorable Dave Joyce
2065 Rayburn House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Suzanne Bonamici
2231 Rayburn House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Jen Kiggans
1037 Longworth House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Lauren Underwood
1410 Longworth House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Joyce, Congresswoman Bonamici, Congresswoman Kiggans, and Congresswoman Underwood,
On behalf of the 59 undersigned organizations representing the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC), we would like to thank you for introducing the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act (H.R.2713). The NCC is a cross section of education, practice, research, and regulation within the nursing profession representing Registered Nurses (RNs), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs),1 nurse leaders, students, faculty, and researchers. Together, we support this comprehensive effort to ensure patients, including those under Medicare and Medicaid, have access to the high-quality care provided by our nation’s APRNs.
From primary and maternal care to acute and chronic care, APRNs serve in all settings and in areas throughout the nation, including rural and underserved communities. More than 250,000 APRNs treated Medicare patients and approximately 40% of Medicare beneficiaries received care from an APRN.
2 The I CAN Act would remove outdated barriers in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that currently prevent APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training. Removing these barriers will increase patients’ timely access to care from the provider of their choice and is consistent with recommendations from a broad range of organizations, including the National Academy of Medicine, the National Governors Association, the National Rural Health Association, the Federal Trade Commission, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Brookings Institution, Americans for Prosperity, and the American Enterprise Institute.
As we continue to support the health care of our communities throughout the country, and create a more equitable system, passing the bipartisan I CAN Act is essential. We appreciate your leadership in this effort as we work to address today’s challenges and prepare for a healthier tomorrow. If the Nursing Community Coalition can be of any assistance to you or your staff, please do not hesitate to contact the coalition’s Executive Director, Rachel Stevenson, at rstevenson@thenursingcommunity.org.
Sincerely,
Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
Academy of Neonatal Nursing
American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing
American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Nursing
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
American Association of Heart Failure Nurses
American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing
American College of Nurse-Midwives
American Nephrology Nurses Association
American Nurses Association
American Nursing Informatics Association
American Organization for Nursing Leadership
American Public Health Association, Public Health Nursing Section
American Psychiatric Nurses Association
American Society for Pain Management Nursing
American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses
Association for Radiologic and Imaging Nursing
Association of Community Health Nursing Educators
Association of Nurses in AIDS Care
Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
Association of Public Health Nurses
Association of Rehabilitation Nurses
Association of Veterans Affairs Nurse Anesthetists
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service
Dermatology Nurses’ Association
Emergency Nurses Association
Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research
Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
Infusion Nurses Society
International Association of Forensic Nurses
International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
National Association of Neonatal Nurses
National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Association of School Nurses
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers
National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence
National League for Nursing
National Nurse-Led Care Consortium
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties
Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs
Oncology Nursing Society
Organization for Associate Degree Nursing
Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Society of Pediatric Nurses
Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates
cc:
Representative Janice Schakowsky
Representative Kelly Armstrong
Representative Earl Blumenauer
Representative Adrian Smith
Representative Glenn Grothman
Representative Chris Pappas
Representative Ann Kuster
Representative James Himes
Representative Elissa Slotkin
1 APRNs include certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) and nurse practitioners (NPs).
2 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Data.CMS.gov. CMS Program Statistics-Medicare Providers. (2022) Retrieved from: https://data.cms.gov/summary-statistics-on-provider-enrollment/medicare-provider-typereports/cms-program-statistics-medicare-providers.
Promoting America’s Health Through Nursing Care www.thenursingcommunity.org