THIS JUST IN:

Missouri:
With one week left in the state legislative session, MONA has six bills with 95% of our legislative priorities amended on to them. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is stuck in committee and will be a stretch to finish it by 6pm, on Friday, May 15 (but it is not impossible).

Hb709: PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY: HYDROCODONE
This act allows certain advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and assistant physicians to prescribe Schedule II - hydrocodone. Hydrocodone prescriptions are limited to a one five day supply without refill (195.070, 334.037, 334.104, 334.747).
RESULT: On to the Governor. It is the Schedule II fix for Hydrocodone prescriptions. It also has the fixed "opinion" language that allows Professional boards to issue opinions only on professions they license.

COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE
The act states that when a physician reviews pursuant to a collaborative practice arrangement an advanced practice registered nurse's delivery of health care services, which includes chart review, the collaborating physician need not be present at the health care practitioner's site (334.104).
Current law provides that an advanced practice registered nurse shall practice with the collaborating physician continuously present for one-month before practicing in a setting where the collaborating physician is not continuously present. This act states that this requirement does not apply to collaborative arrangements between a physician and an advanced practice registered nurse if the collaborative physician is new to a patient population to which the collaborating advanced practice registered nurse, assistant physician, or assistant physician is already familiar (334.104).
This is a portion of the language originally offered by the retail clinics in HB 633.

Kansas:
Not a lot happening....all FPA bills for APRN's are still alive in House and Senate but sadly it has been made clear that they will not be heard this session as stated by the Speaker of the House Ray Merrick so If you know anyone who knows Ray....let me know!

National:
In case you live in a hole and don't already know...CHIP was reauthorized !! As part of the HR2 there were specific practice issues attained for APRNs: "Merit-Based Incentive Payment System" (MIPS), which includes nurse practitioners and focuses on improving the value and quality of care, and provides financial incentives for NPs and professionals to participate in tests of alternative payment models. The law also authorizes nurse practitioners to document evaluations for durable medical equipment and clarifies that NP-led Patient Centered Medical Homes are eligible to receive incentive payments for managing the care of patients with chronic disease.

Please let me know if any of you have issues when ordering durable medical equipment as an APRN...this should not happen.

May 12, 2015: Maryland has just become the 21st state in the nation, plus the District of Columbia, to have Full Practice Authority for Nurse Practitioners!

Lastly,

SOMETHING BIG IS COMING and you are going to want to be part of it !!!!

Please stay tuned!!