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ACNM Health Reform Activities

• ACNM on the U.S. House of Representatives Health Reform Legislation
  • ACNM Endorses HR 6437: Partnering to Improve Maternity Care Quality Act
  • HR 3962: America's Affordable Health Choices Act: A summary of key provisions of interest to ACNM members (November 11, 2009)
  • HR 3962: Spotlight on the Stupak Amendment
    • George Washington University Medical Center Department of Health Policy Analysis of Stupak/Pitts Amendment
  • Learn more about what's in the legislation for women and their families here
  • ACNM Endorses House Health Reform Bill
  • Endorsement Letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
  • ACNM June 26, 2009, letter to U.S. House of Representatives TriCommittee Leadership re House Health Care Reform Legislation
    
• ACNM on U.S. Senate Health Reform Legislation: The America’s Healthy Future Act
  • ACNM Endorses Senate Health Reform Legislation: Letter to Majority Leader Reid
    • Understanding ACNM’s Endorsement of Senate Health Reform Legislation
  • The Chairman's Mark as amended is available here. The reimbursement equity provision that was ACNM's top legislative priority is on page 189 of 262. Next step: Chairman Baucus has requested cost estimates of the package by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation. The Committee will vote on the legislation following its receipt of those analyses. Learn more about what's in the legislation for women and their families here.
  • ACNM signs on to Medicaid Quality Improvement Letter to Senator Reid and Senator Baucus.
    • Requested edits to Medicaid Quality Improvement legislation
  • ACNM signs on to endorsement letter in support of Senator Mikulski's Women's Health Amendment.
  • ACNM Alert to Members: Senate Finance bill includes ACNM-endorsed midwifery equity provision!
  • August 2009 letter from ACNM and other nursing organizations to the Senate Finance Committee and other Senate leadership in support of health reform.
  • July 2009 letter from ACNM and other advocacy group to Sen. Baucus supporting health care access for legal immigrants
• ACNM on the Critical Role of CNMs and CMs in Primary Care Under Health Care Reform
  • ACNM Policy Brief on the Role of CNMs and CMs in Primary Care
  • Patient-Centered Primary Care is a model of care that emphasizes readily accessible, comprehensive, coordinated care for the patient, and provides compensation for the health care provider. There is great interest in this model and the improved quality, safety, and outcomes that can be provided at a significant cost savings
  • Joint ACNM and American Nurses Association Health Care Reform Briefing on Capitol Hill. Hosted by Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Lois Capps (D-CA), and Steve LaTourette (R-OH), this congressional briefing highlighted The Primary Care Role of CNMs and CMs.
• Other Issues of Critical Interest to ACNM under Health Care Reform
  • ACNM signs on to Medicaid Quality Measurement Provisions coalition letter to Congress.
  • September 2009 ACNM/ACOG Ad in Roll Callcalling for health reform to include medical malpractice reform (print and share this ad with your colleagues!
  • Coalition letter to President Obama urging an end to age and gender discrimination by health plans under health care reform.
  • July 2009 Letter to Congress regarding Attempts to Provide Federal Recognition to CPMs
    • Letter to ACNM Membership
    • FAQs on ACNM's decision to oppose full federal recognition of CPMs under Medicare and Medicaid regardless of educational background.
      
  • Letter to Congress supporting Graduate Nursing Education funding from ACNM, AARP and the nursing community
  • ACNM on Health Information Technology
• Coalition Letter to Obama Administration on provider non-discrimination.

  This letter from the Patient Access to Responsible Care Alliance (PARCA), a coalition of non-MD provider organizations including ACNM, calls upon the new Obama Administration to support legislation to prevent health plans from discriminating against classes of health care providers.

  ~Health Care Reform Consensus Statement from the Nursing Community
  This consensus document makes multiple recommendations to Congress and the Administration in relation to health care reform that involve all of nursing, including advanced practice nursing. ACNM appreciated the leadership of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in bringing the community together on this consensus statement. More than 30 nursing organizations have signed on to this consensus document. It highlights the importance of having nurse-midwives be designated as primary care providers; addressing the inequitable reimbursement rate under Medicare for nurse-midwives; the need to ensure nurse-midwives are recognized for their role in teaching medical students, residents, and student midwives in teaching facilities among a range of recommendations relating to advanced practice nurses.
  

  
  

• ACNM Presidential Task Force on Health Care Reform

Former ACNM President Kitty Ernst formed this Task Force, chaired by Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM to ramp up ACNM's presence in the health care reform arena. Read the press release. The Task Force concluded its work in early 2009 with the publication of ACNM Seven Key Principles of Health Care Reform.

• Baucus White Paper on Health Reform

This paper, published by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) in November 2008, provided an early preview of the chairman's perspectives on health reform just weeks after the presidential election.

For more information, contact ACNM Federal Representative Patrick Cooney at 202-347-0034, or patrick@federalgrp.com.