Last night the House of Representatives passed a FECA bill on suspension calendar that authorizes nurse practitioners to provide medical services and certify disability due to traumatic injury for the first 45 daysafter an injury occurred. The main thrust of the bill clarifies that a disability or death of a federal employee that results from a terrorist attack should be treated like a war risk hazard. AS we have discussed in our regional meetings, and other places, it is a first step for getting NPs into the FECA system as providers. It is unclear if this will get traction in the Senate. We have had success by keeping this under the radar.....we hope that will continue and will let you know if we need any pressure placed in the Senate.

In the meantime, pressure does need to be put on your Senators to authorize the patients of nurse practitioners to become beneficiaries in the Medicare Primary Care ACO program. This is a serious problem that they have the power to fix, but they will need to take action. So pour on the heat.