KY Coalition of NP & NM Update and Alert-3/5/10

KCNPNM Legislative Update & Alert - 3/5/10

GOOD NEWS!!   HB 556 passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee yesterday.

Now, HB 556 moves to the House floor for a vote by the full House. This will most likely happen next week. We must generate as many calls, e-mails and faxed letters as possible to ALL Representatives.  Also, ask Representatives to sign on as co-sponsors to HB 556

There are a little more than 3 weeks left in the legislative session - plus 2 concurrence days. There is time to pass our bill, but we must keep up the calls and letters.

You can also talk with your Representatives.  Contact information is at www.lrc.ky.gov  Click on "Who's My Legislator".

Below is a list of House Health and Welfare Committee members and how they voted on the bill.  Please send a note of thanks to those who voted for the bill.

*************************************************************************************

HOUSE HEALTH & WELFARE COMMITTEE

Title	First Name	Last Name	County	Party	Vote
Rep	John A	Arnold, Jr.	Daviess, Henderson, Union	D	YES
Rep	Scott	Brinkman	Jefferson	R	PASS
Rep	Thomas J.	Burch	Jefferson	D	YES
Rep	Bob	DeWeese*	Jefferson	R	NO
Rep	Jim	Glenn	Daviess	D	YES
Rep	Brent	Houseman	McCracken	R	NO
Rep	Joni L.	Jenkins	Jefferson	D	YES
Rep	Mary Lou	Marzian	Jefferson	D	YES
Rep	Tim	Moore	Hardin	R	PASS
Rep	Darryl T.	Owens	Jefferson	D	YES
Rep	Ruth Ann	Palumbo	Fayette	D	YES
Rep	David Allen	Watkins*	Henderson	D	NO
Rep	Susan	Westrom	Fayette	D	YES
Rep	Addia	Wuchner	Boone	R	PASS

Note: Co sponsors are in blue type

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian is chief bill sponsor

*Reps. DeWeese and Watkins are physicians

*************************************************************************************************

Talking Points and Summary of HB 556:

The bill improves access, especially in underserved areas, to quality, cost-effective health care provided to Kentuckians by Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Nurse Midwives (NMs) 

Makes NO Changes in Any Current Laws Governing ARNP Scheduled Drug Prescribing

Removes the Requirement for a Collaborative Agreement for ARNP Prescriptive Authority for Nonscheduled Drugs (CAPA-NS)

· Nurse practitioners in Kentucky have never been required to practice under the supervision of a physician. They are considered licensed independent providers. However, Kentucky statute enacted in 1996 has required NPs to have a collaborative prescribing agreement with a physician in order to prescribe nonscheduled (legend) medications. The agreement applies only to prescribing.

· There are 2 separate prescribing agreements: one for non scheduled drugs and one for controlled drugs. This bill would delete only the requirement for the agreement for non scheduled drugs. If talking to your Representative, it would be helpful to provide examples of non scheduled drugs.

· Nurse practitioners have been safely writing prescriptions for non-controlled substances since1996.

· Nurse practitioners provide care in 116 of the 120 counties in Kentucky, showing a willingness to practice in underserved areas. However, their ability to do so has been adversely affected by the difficulty in finding a physician to sign a collaborative prescribing agreement. Thus, NPs and NMs are increasingly limited in improving access to care, particularly for rural Kentuckians.

· Some nurse practitioners own their practice and must pay a physician a monthly fee to enter into a collaborative prescribing agreement. In some cases, this fee is very high.

Amends a limited number of statutes which currently require a signature, report, examination or order by a physician to allow NPs to perform these functions.

• Nine specific statutes which require a physician to sign, report, examine, order or certify such things as a child's immunization record, ordering and reporting HIV tests and results, certifying a family child care home provider's good health, the need for a telephone for the deaf, and reporting communicable diseases would now allow those functions to also be performed by ARNPs.

 

• These statutes currently limit patient access to services and limit the ability of nurse practitioners to provide continuity of care to their patients, consistent with their education and training. By amending these specific statutes, some of those limitations and barriers will be removed, and nurse practitioners will be able to make a greater contribution to protecting the public health of Kentuckians.

 

CALL EVERY DAY – The message line is open until 11PM – 1-800-372-7181

It is extremely important that Representatives hear from ARNPs, nurses, and the general public. Call each day until further notice and ask others to do the same. Tell the operator that you want to leave your message for your Representative and all Representatives

The message:"I am a Nurse Practitioner (nurse, physician, patient, constituent, etc.). Please support HB 556 to increase access to health care. Please co sponsor this important bill.”

Message line number:  1-800 372-7181

FAX LETTERS

In addition to your calls, FAX letters to Frankfort to all Representatives asking them to support HB 556. Address your letter to "Dear Representative”. On the fax cover sheet, ask that the letter be distributed to all Representatives. You can use talking points from this message, to help with your letter. Limit your letters to one page.

Frankfort fax number: 502 564-6543

PLEASE SHARE ANY FEEDBACK

If you receive feedback from Representatives on HB 556, please let us know. This will help us "count votes".

Also, let us know if you have questions.

Thanks for all your efforts,

Beth Partin [email protected]    Sheila Schuster [email protected]