[Maine-NPs] FW: Take Action to Defeat the So-called Health Care Truth and Transparency Act (HR 5688)

[Robert S. Howe]

Take Action to Defeat the So-called Health Care Truth and Transparency Act
(HR 5688)



     Urge Your Representative to oppose HR5688!
        October 20, 2006

        Member Alert!

            Legislation deceptively titled the “Health Care Truth and
Transparency Act” (H.R. 5688) has been introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives by Representative John Sullivan (R-OK). Click here to read a
copy of this bill online at http://thomas.loc.gov. While the legislation
purports to provide patients with information about who provides their
health care, it actually proves more insidious.
            Representative Sullivan is telling his colleagues that patients
are confused about the qualifications of those providing their health care
and those health professionals are not being honest with their patients
about their level and type of education, experience, and training. Yet, when
asked for proof of this practice, the Congressman and his staff have yet to
produce any evidence of a problem.

            While transparency on its face is something hard to argue
against, the American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) believes that
H.R. 5688 is one more back-door tactic to undermine the authority of nurse
practitioners and other health professionals, erode consumer confidence in
health professionals other than physicians and dentists, and limit the
ability of a wide-array of health professionals to provide cost-effective,
quality health care.

            Although chances are slim that this bill will be enacted this
year, Representatives must hear from us in order to make them think twice
about supporting legislation of this type in the future. The key is to nip
this issue in the bud – the time for action on this issue is now!!

            ACNP calls upon all of its members to contact their
Representatives inform them about the flaws in this legislation and urge
opposition to this legislation.

            How You Can Help ACNP Fight H.R. 5688

            We need you to please take a few minutes in the next few weeks
to send your Representative a letter and then follow-up the letter with a
quick phone call to his/her office. You can search for your legislator's
contact information with the search engine on  www.congress.org, and we have
posted a copy of a sample letter that you can personalize, available on our
website,  www.acnpweb.org. We have also developed convenient talking points
(click here) that will assist you in your phone call.

            Thank you for helping us oppose this bill! For any futher
questions or concerns, feel free to contact ACNP's office at 703-740-2529 or
email acnp at acnpweb.org.




--------------------------------------------------------------------

            email: allison at acnpweb.org
            web: http://www.acnpweb.org




            Forward email



            This email was sent to howe at howeandcompany.com, by
allison at acnpweb.org
            Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with
SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Powered by


            American College of Nurse Practitioners | 1501 Wilson Blvd. |
Suite 509 | Arlington | VA | 22209


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.nurse.net/pipermail/maine-nps/attachments/20061023/da26e828/attachment.html