Leaders in the House of Representatives came together and passed H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.

This bipartisan legislation would repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, provide an annual payment update to providers, and include nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified registered nurse anesthetists in the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). H.R. 2 would also allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs); Nurse Practitioners, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Certified Nurse-Midwives, and Clinical Nurse Specialists along with physician assistants to document the face-to-face encounter required for Medicare durable medical equipment prescriptions as allowed by state law.

We need to keep focus on the Senate to pass this legislation when it hits their doorstep.