AANP Commends House Passage of COVID-19 Stimulus Legislation

AUSTIN, Texas, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners^®  (AANP), the largest association representing nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties, applauds the U.S. House of Representatives' passage today of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act containing provisions to bolster seniors' access to home health care services and provide needed funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) for NPs and other health care providers. The legislation authorizes NPs to certify and recertify home health care services for Medicare patients, strengthens funding for PPE and ensures vital resources to respond to the pandemic. 

"We thank the House for recognizing the critical health care needs of seniors and the importance of authorizing NPs to certify and recertify home health care services to Medicare patients ? especially during this pandemic. Today's vote helps to ensure seniors will have timely access to home health care. With the President's signature on the final legislation, we can help reduce seniors' potential exposure to COVID-19 and provide high-quality health care in home-based settings," said Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, president of AANP. "Additionally, we are especially grateful to the House and Senate for their vote to fund PPE and other resources for health care providers, as the need for these resources is critical in fighting this pandemic. We urge the President to sign this legislation into law quickly."

"Authorizing NPs to certify their patients' needs for home health care services has long been a top legislative priority of AANP, and we thank all of our congressional champions for their efforts and many years of work to get this to the President's desk. We wish to acknowledge the 47 bipartisan Senate and 140 bipartisan House cosponsors who have championed this legislation," said David Hebert, JD, Chief Executive Officer of AANP. "In particular, we would like to recognize the lead Senate sponsors, Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Cardin (D-MD), as well as Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY); and in the House of Representatives, Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Ron Kind (D-WI), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Susan Wild (D-PA), David Joyce (R-OH), as well as Greg Walden (R-OR). Their long-standing commitment to this policy change has brought us to today and will help to ensure patients have timely access to home health care services at this critical time."

House passage of the stimulus package represents a significant victory for patients and health care providers combatting COVID-19.

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 290,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner^®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate a nurse practitioner in your community, go to npfinder.com.  For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org. For COVID-19 information from AANP, visit https://bit.ly/2UFPhgz.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners