[NPInfo] Urge Committee to Include Nurse Practitioners in the Definition of Medical Homes

[GIN11153 at aol.com]

In 2006, Congress created the Medicare Medical Home Demonstration  Project — 
a concept designed to reward primary care providers (PCPs)  for providing 
ongoing care and coordination of care, particularly for complex  patients. While 
the current project is limited in scope, there is particular  concern that the 
current law’s definition of “medical home” – which is limited  to “board 
certified physicians” – could become the standard for both Medicare  and the 
entire health care industry.  
The Senate Finance Committee is developing  legislation to expand the Medical 
Home  Project. This presents an opportunity to recognize the important role  
that nurse practitioners play in providing primary care to complex  patients, 
by including NPs within the primary care providers who are eligible to  serve 
as medical homes.  
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has been working with the Committee, as 
 well as other nursing organizations, to ensure that the new legislation will 
 state explicitly that nurse practitioners who provide primary care are 
eligible  to serve as medical homes.  
_You Can  Help..._ (http://rnaction.org/politicalpower/Medical_Homes)  
_http://rnaction.org/politicalpower/Medical_Homes_ 
(http://rnaction.org/politicalpower/Medical_Homes)  
Gail



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