Nursing Organizations Urge President Trump, Congress to Make High-Quality, Affordable Health Care Access a Top Reform Priority

DES PLAINES, Ill., (February 14,2017) - America’s leading nursing organizations and the over 3.5 million nurses they represent, today called on the Trump Administration and Congress to prioritize patient health and the patient-provider relationship in any health reform proposals. 

 

As lawmakers consider legislation to repeal, replace or fundamentally alter the Affordable Care Act, nursing organizations affirmed their shared commitment to advancing patient-centered health care and health care policies that reflect the following:

• Ensure patients access to health care with affordable coverage options, regardless of their preexisting conditions;
• Uphold the principles of including essential health benefits, including providing patients with access to ambulatory care, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health services and addiction treatment, prescription drugs, rehabilitative services and devices, laboratory services, preventive services, wellness services and chronic disease management, and pediatric services;
• Protect patients’ access to receive health care delivered by the provider of their choice, including advanced practice registered nurses, which include, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, midwives and nurse anesthetists, and ensure this care is covered by their insurer;
• Maintain the nation’s commitment to strengthen its health care workforce;
• Create greater efficiency in the Medicare system by retiring barriers to practice and eliminate duplication of health care providers’ efforts.

We firmly believe that our shared commitment to patient-centered health care will advance the best interests of patients and the health of our nation.

Academy of Neonatal Nursing 
American Academy of Nursing 
American Association of Colleges of Nursing 
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses 
American Association of Neuroscience Nurses 
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists 
American Association of Nurse Practitioners 
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 
American College of Nurse-Midwives 
American Holistic Nurses Association 
American Nephrology Nurses’ Association 
American Nurses Association 
American Organization of Nurse Executives 
American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association 
American Psychiatric Nurses Association 
American Society for Pain Management Nursing 
American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 
Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses 
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses 
Association of Public Health Nurses 
Association of Rehabilitation Nurses 
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses 
Emergency Nurses Association 
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association 
Infusion Nurses Society 
International Association of Forensic Nurses 
National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists 
National Association of Neonatal Nurses 
National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners 
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners 
National Association of School Nurses 
National Council of State Boards of Nursing 
National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers 
National League for Nursing 
National Student Nurses Association 
Oncology Nursing Society 
Organization for Associate Degree Nursing 
Rheumatology Nurses Society 
Society of Pediatric Nurses 
The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties

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