Monitor federal and state legislative activities of interest to children, families and pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners by working with state advocacy group as functioning as member of NAPNAP Health Policy Committeel:
1. Pa Coalition of Nurse Practitioner board meetings were attended by legislative chair in November 2012 and April 2013; legislative chair reviewed minutes for January and July meetings and maintained email contact with executive board members and communicated the following legislative information to the 3 Rivers board:
a. Attended November meeting at PACNP annual conference in November, 2012 at Penn State; no other 3 Rivers NAPNAP members in attendance at conference; regional groups are supposed to attend 3 meetings/year and submit 1 newsletter article; intend to submit article for spring newsletter and attempt to send another board member to July 2013 meeting, recommend membership or president-elect (or both!) to involve membership committee and incoming president in legislative activities to increase 3 Rivers involvement.
b. Attended both president’s meeting (3 Rivers president unable to attend) and board meeting in April. Reported 3 Rivers NAPNAP activities, including annual symposium, raffle of 10 PCNP memberships and donation of 50/50 raffle to PAC fund; discussion about how other smaller regional groups can increase their attendance at their educational sessions, encouraged others to offer pharmacology credits. Reported our legislative table and speakers, Kathy Magdic and Susan VanCleve presenting consensus model and NAPNAP Health Policy updates. Also reported attempts to involve students in legislative activities such as Town Hall meetings and Lobby Day.
c. Review of January minutes: announcement of Town Hall meetings to education NP’s across Pa about Senator Pat Vance’s support to introduce legislation for full practice authority; Pittsburgh meeting April 11, 2013 and Penn State April 6; development of PCNP brochure for regional groups to market membership; looking into hiring strategic planner; offices up for re-election include President and Treasurer-elect in September.
d. Membership of 3 Rivers regional group county analysis revealed total of 32 with 8 student members and 9 raffle winners; most from Allegheny County but also includes Beaver, Butler, Erie, Lawrence and Westmoreland. Not all PACNP 3 Rivers regional members are NAPNAP members. Need to determine if raffle winners renew their membership. PACNP sends 1 email to members as their membership is ready to expire to renew; recommend offering for 1 more year and then perform analysis of renewals of winners.
e. Attended Town Hall meetings at Penn State and Pittsburgh and Lobby Day in Harrisburg; noted lack of PNP representation: 1 PNP at Pgh Town Hall meeting, President of 3 Rivers NAPNAP attended Lobby Day, no other PNP’s; need to increase 3 Rivers board and member support at these events as full practice authority moves forward; recommend financial support to members/board members for travel to attend events out of town and email blasts for local events.
f. Lobby Day: 120 NP’s attended (including our president!); focus was to gather support from Senators for full practice authority legislation to be introduced first in the Senate; co-sponsorship increased from 5-11 at the end of the day with goal to obtain 26; met with staffer from office of Senator Vulkavoich from my district, ED, president, president-elect and PCNP lobbyist also attended; educated him about NP role and need to support full practice authority legislation; participated in video-taping of documentary about Lobby Day by Widener University NP students to be posted on regional and national websites; email forwarded by our communication chair to encourage our members to contact their Senators with talking points and sample letter about supporting full practice authority legislation; recommend to send email blast monthly about contacting Senators.
g. 2012-13 State legislation issues: Amendment to Vital Statistics Law allowing NP’s to sign death certificates implemented; new draft for HB 1570 which would preclude NP’s from being eligible for Medical Staff Privileges does not contain restriction for NP’s! National Governers’ Association and AARP published statements for support for NP’s as PCP’s but NGA incorrectly lists Pa as a protocol state instead of a collaborative state, support both but need to correct listing in NGA paper; both are available on the internet. Major issue this upcoming year is Senator Pat Vance’s introduction of legislation for NP full practice authority (use this term, avoid using independent or autonomous practice); No change in scope of practice or in collaboration but will no longer be required to submit written collaborative agreement. 17 states already have this level of practice and with increase in insured Americans, NP’s will have less restrictions/barriers to function as PCP’s; Pa has nurse-managed clinics in rural and underserved areas who will greatly benefit from this bill. No bill number associated with it yet, Senator Vance sent memorandum and 26 co-sponsors needed to obtain bill number to formalize legislation. Recommend monthly email blasts to encourage support and keep our members informed. Annual conference in Lancaster, November 7-9, 2013.
h. Legislative chair was nominated by past president of 3 Rivers for AANP’s Pa state advocacy award (thank you!) and has received this award for 2013! Received 1 year membership for AANP and complimentary conference fee for June; NAPNAP’s board voted to support hotel cost and plan to attend (thank you!).
i. With AANP’s membership, hoping to attend Region 3 Leadership Meeting in October 2013.
j. Presented Health Policy lecture to University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University DNP students; encouraging legislative competency and supporting information for student visits to their legislators about full practice authority.
2. Attended National legislation sessions as listed below:
a. Legislative events attended at Annual Conference in Orlando, 2013: Advocating for Child Healt Care in Post-election World, Child Health Policy in Action: Perspectives from PNP state representative; Legislative Reception Networking session
b. Participated in most monthly Health Policy Committee conference calls; unavailable to participate in Legislative webnar in April.
c. Invited to be reviewer for Nurse in Washington Internships (NIWI) for national NAPNAP applications; consideration for changing this opportunity to offer scholarships to AANP Health Policy Conference; if offered, plan to apply.
d. Federal legislation: Election in November and inauguration in January distracted from active legislative activity; Medicare primary care payment increase applicable only to services under physician supervision-major barrier to NP’s with full practice authority; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) agrees to review IOM report on nursing this spring, physicians will attempt to dispute report, NP roundtable working on strategy; Most of winter spent in sequestration attempting to pass budget, did agree to discretionary cuts at 5% for 2013 and attempting to resolve 2014 budget by eliminating federal deficit within 10 years without increasing taxes by decreasing ACA spending; Senate and House have very different versions and consensus agreement deadline pending; ACA continues to be repealed by House but does not get through Senate (democratic majority); states readying for Medicaid expansion, some opting out; CMS executive director finally approved and is a nurse!!;legislation about mental health background checks for gun control did not pass; Ordering Home Health Care Act will need to be resurrected again, once sponsored and with bill number, will require co-sponsors, Senator Casey supported but not Senator Toomey; a legislative bill is in process that will address “ misrepresentation in advertising and licensing” and suspicion is that this will be used by MD’s (particular group family practice association-AFPP) to attempt to restrict DNP’s from use of title Dr.-AGAIN! Recommend when home health care act has bill #, email blast to encourage letters to Senator Toomey.
e. Child Health Collaborative monthly calls: unable to participate due to timing of calls occurring during teaching responsibilities; recommend another board member participate-past president, president or president-elect.
3. Legislative chair continues to function as appointed member of Health Policy Committee for 2012-2015 and participate in monthly conference calls.
Promote full board participation and improve communication of legislative issues to members to facilitate NAPNAP’s Health Policy Agenda; promote member advocacy via website, email alerts and at annual symposium
1. President attended 2 legislative events, one local and one regional; also attended national conference activities.
2. Promoted chapter membership with PCNP; communication chair now member and sends email blasts about state issues as well as federal issues.
3. Raffled 10 awards of 1 year membership to PCNP organization to our local members to stimulate interest in supporting state advocacy and to support our state advocacy group.
- Continued to report legislative information from meetings and legislative sessions to board at monthly meetings.
- Maintained communication with web master for updates on legislative tab for 3 Rivers NAPNAP website.
- Presented legislative updates to members via legislative table at annual symposium.
Develop application to award $500 grant to DNP student conducting capstone project on pediatric population.
1. Awarded $500 grant to DNP student at the University of Pittsburgh for capstone project on Supplemental Sexual Education in Primary Care: Impact on the Intention to Delay First and Subsequent Intercourse Among Adolescent Females. Also awarded $500 leadership scholarship to DNP student at the University of Pittsburgh to support her capstone project on policy analysis of Nurse-managed clinics in Western Pennsylvania.
2014 Goals
1. Continue to monitor federal and state legislative activities of interest to children, families and pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners as national NAPNAP Health Policy Committee member and regional representative for Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners.
2. Increase 3 Rivers board participation in supporting targeted efforts to facilitate national and state legislative activities.
3. Function as resource to members and promote member advocacy via website, email alerts and at annual symposium by communicating ongoing legislative issues.
Budget Proposal 2013-14
PCNP membership raffle: 10 at $100 $1000
PCNP membership fee for legislative chair and 1 other board member, preferably membership chair or president-elect $200
Travel reimbursement total to cover attending PCNP board meetings/conference, lobby day and/or AANP meetings/conference (any amount not used can apply towards NAPNAP conference)
$600 mileage (calculated for 3 board meetings at Penn State)
$400 hotel (3-4 1 night stays for meetings/conference)
$300 conference fees towards PCNP or AANP
Total for travel reimbursement $1300
Total legislative Budget $2500