AANP Applauds President Trump on Signing of CARES Act

AUSTIN, Texas, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners^® (AANP), the largest association representing nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties, applauds President Trump for signing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law. The CARES Act bolsters seniors' access to home health care services and provides needed funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) for nurse practitioners (NPs) and other health care providers. The law 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 President Trump, the Senate and the House of Representatives for coming together in a bipartisan fashion to recognize 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. This law will help ensure that seniors have timely access to home health care and reduce their potential exposure to COVID-19," said Dr. Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, president of AANP. "Additionally, we are grateful for the funding to purchase necessary PPE and other resources for our nation's health care providers. This law will equip NPs and other providers with the tools necessary to combat this pandemic as they serve on the front lines of health care."

By President Trump signing the CARES Act into law, he provides a significant victory for patients and the 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