WOCN Supports I Can Act

WOCN and the WOCNCB recently a letter of support to the sponsors of H.R. 2713, the Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act (ICAN Act). This bipartisan legislation is intended to remove barriers preventing advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) from practicing to the full extent of their education and training, was re-introduced by Reps. David Joyce (OH-14), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), and Jennifer Kiggans (VA-02) in late April. The joint letter can be found here.

The purpose of this bill is to increase access, improve quality of care, and lower costs in the Medicare and Medicaid programs by removing federal barriers to practice for APRNs, consistent with the recommendations of National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and other bipartisan stakeholders. As of 2020, over 233,000 APRNs treated Medicare patients and approximately 40% of Medicare beneficiaries received care from an APRN. This makes it essential that Congress removes barriers to care for APRNs and their patients.

This bill would authorize NPs to order and supervise cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, certify when patients with diabetes need therapeutic shoes, have their patients fully included in the beneficiary attribution process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, refer patients for medical nutrition therapy, certify and recertify a patient’s terminal illness for hospice eligibility, perform all mandatory examinations in skilled nursing facilities, and more.