Hello All,

Here is the most recent Legislated update. After attending our board meeting; I had a request about what “really is” health care reform is and how it’s impacting nurses, especially in the State of Florida. I wanted to provide a few tools/ resources that you can view to help inform you! Hopefully this helps!

Kaiser Health News- great resource and you can sign up for daily e-mails to be sent:

Here is a recent article on Medicaid expansion: Click Here Florida Legislative Session Ends Without Deal On Medicaid Expansion: Posted 5/3/2013 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation- also good resource Click Here

Federally-Facilitated Exchanges and the Continuum of State Options: Click Here

Heres a great (and cute!) video that breaks down the ACA: Click Here

In other news:

Save the Date August 23-25, 2013  FLANP will host "The Cutting Edge Conference."  The Ritz Carlton-Sarasota. If interested in attending: Click here

From FLANP

Sandra Ryan of Take Care/Walgreens joins FLANP Advisory Board Sandra Ryan, Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer of Take Care/Walgreens Clinics has generously agreed to be on FLANPs Advisory Board. Ms. Ryan has attended two important state meetings with FLANP to advocate for NPs and NP businesses. She was a guest speaker at the Florida TaxWatch Summit in February where she presented the business case for removing NP practice barriers. We are most grateful to Ms Ryan for her assistance and look forward to our partnership with Take Care/Walgreens to further remove barriers in our state.   FLANP Hires Lobbyist. Mr. Chris Floyd joined the FLANP Advocacy Team as of April 2013. We are very pleased with the work Mr. Floyd has done in the last few weeks of session. Mr. Floyd will spearhead the legislative efforts of FLANP and will update members at our August Cutting Edge Conference.  

• SB 536/HB 413 Physical Therapy Bill: passes House and Senate. This bill will allow physical therapists to implement physical therapy ordered by an ARNP. It awaits the Governor's signature.
   
• SB 110/HB 9 Baker Act Bill: Passes House stalls in Senate This bill passed all 3 committees in the House. It was altered in the Senate and passed its first committee. It then went to rules where it stalled. FLANP worked closely with the bill sponsors and co-sponsors on this important bill and are very grateful for their efforts. Through phone calls and emails and media coverage, FLANP members helped to move this bill out of Senator Sobel's committee where it was stuck. The bill received extensive media coverage through out the state, highlighting the importance of it. Several groups stepped forward to support it. We will re-file the bill again next year. 
   
• DEA Licensure: We continue to work on this issue. It is unacceptable that patients are unable to receive DEA regulated medications from NPs in Florida. Patients suffer and costs are driven up because of this outdated barrier. This is a priority issue for our new lobbyist, the FLANP Advocacy Team, and the Board. It is receiving our highest attention.
   
• KUDOS: On May 15, 2013, the United States Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner, MHA, BSN, RN to be the first nurse to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  Due to political gridlock and partisanship along the way, CMS has not confirmed an administrator for over 7 years. It was no surprise to us that Congress could agree on Marilyn, a former Intensive Care Unit Nurse.  As she moved up the ladder to become Virginia’s secretary of Health and Human Services, she didn’t forget about the patients she once served in the rural areas of Virginia.

Please feel to e-mail me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns! Thanks!

Rachel, DNP, RN
Email: rachelpnp13@gmail.com