Sent on behalf of Government Affairs January 23, 2009

Health Information Technology provision in Stimulus fails to include APRNs

As many of you already know, the recently unveiled economic stimulus package –

officially titled the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009—includes $20

billion in funding for health information technology (HIT).

As it currently stands, the HIT provisions in the bill include incentive payments through

both Medicare and Medicaid for practitioners to purchase and implement the new

technology. While the bill does make a pool of grant money as well as the incentive

payments under the Medicaid portion available to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

APRNs, ANA is deeply frustrated and disappointed that the Medicare portion of the bill

fails to include APRNs-- along with a significant list of other providers--including critical

care hospitals, nurse managed clinics, long-term care facilities, social workers and

psychologists--in the list of those eligible to receive payments.

Obviously, this policy will have a serious impact on providers and patients, and we

believe it represents a serious roadblock to the full and meaningful implementation of

electronic health records.

Because of the $20 billion funding limit ($30 billion less than originally promised by the

administration), the fact that this quickly-crafted legislation has been “pre-conferenced”

by both chambers, and because it is on the fast-track for floor consideration due to our

nation’s current economic crisis, we face more than an uphill battle to broaden eligible

providers. While we recognize that a few other organizations are sending out alerts on

the language and urging calls to Congress, we feel strongly that given the above

considerations, calls and e-mails to the hill will not benefit our position, and in fact could

damage relationships and conversations important to our work to address the issue within

HIT and moving forward.

ANA has been coordinating with other APRN and provider organizations to reach out to

key members and staff in the House and Senate, and we are working on a joint letter to

the leadership to express our disappointment and frustration, as well as to urge them to

work together with us to address the issue. In addition, we will be collaborating on

strategies to further educate members of Congress about APRNs and their practice—

something that will be fundamental as this dialog continues and as we look down the road

to the broader issue of health care reform. Input and engagement from APRNs in this

effort will be vital, and we will reach out soon to provide nurses with information and

resources that will help them take part and be heard.

We will share more information about the bill’s provisions, the letter, and our outreach

and education efforts in the coming days