Nurse Practitioners Gather in Washington with Patient-first Message

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the largest professional organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) in the country, will host its annual Health Policy Conference (#AANPHPC) on Capitol Hill, where nearly 300 members will advocate to lawmakers on the importance of ensuring patient access to high-quality and affordable health care.

Drawing from experience of over 800 million patient visits last year, AANP members will also share insight on some of the nation's most pressing health care challenges, from combatting chronic disease to ensuring patient access to high-quality primary, acute and specialty health care in rural and urban settings.

They will urge Members of Congress to support critical health care priorities, including:

• Ensuring patients have access to their chosen health care provider and the care provided is covered by their insurer;
• Maintaining patient coverage for vital health services 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;
• Creating greater efficiency in the Medicare system by retiring barriers to practice and eliminating unnecessary duplication of health care provider's efforts and;
• Including NPs and their patients in Medicare Shared Saving Program. 

"There is no doubt the potential changes in health care policy have every lawmaker's attention," said David Hebert, CEO of AANP. "They know the health and well-being of all Americans is a top priority and NPs gladly serve as a trusted source on health care with unparalleled expertise to assist them in furthering the interests of patients."

"The bond between patients and NPs has become stronger than ever before and that is due to an over fifty-year long track record of providing excellent care," said AANP President Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP. "NPs tirelessly work to ensure every patient that walks in their door receives high quality and patient-focused care. This has built tremendous trust with our patients and we are here to share that story on Capitol Hill."

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 222,000 licensed NPs in the U.S.  AANP membership includes approximately 73,000 individual members and 200 organizations. 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 NP 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.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Related Links

http://www.aanp.org