RULE CHANGE NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME YET!

Perhaps committee members had a good reason, or perhaps it was politics as usual at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 11th. Either way, barriers to care CONTINUE to negatively impact the citizens of Louisiana every day, particularly those whose care is provided solely by NPs!! It’s no wonder that Louisiana remains 50th in the nation for healthcare outcomes.  
 
Following robust testimony presented during the Senate Health and Welfare Oversite Committee hearing today, Committee Chair, Senator Fred Mills, motioned to return the proposed rule changes related to APRNs prescribing controlled substances in connection with the treatment of chronic or intractable pain and obesity, to the LSBN for further review and revisions. The motion did not meet opposition from any Senate committee members. The main reason cited by Mills for the needed revisions was the lack of a well-defined mechanism, similar to LSBME, to enforce disciplinary action for inappropriate prescribing of these substances. Although Dr. Lyon outlined LSBN’s current reporting mechanism for disciplinary action, committee members deemed that a more specific process should be in place for complaints and investigations related to improper prescribing practices for APRNs.   
 
LANP would like to thank Representative Miller for providing outstanding testimony in support of the rule change during the hearing and Senators Barrow, Boudreaux, and Luneau for their continued support of NPs and the nursing profession.
 
If you weren't able to watch the testimony live, I encourage you to click on the link and watch/listen. While listening you should note the lack of understanding about our issue by legislators and by the opposition. You should also question "is there something more at play here?" Seems like there is colluding that is happening amongst major players -- and NPs are not included, so IT WILL NOT BE GOOD FOR NPs! Maybe it's just me -- but I don't think so. Exactly what could happen to "make the Collaborative Practice Agreement better?". Exactly how many of our collaborators will sign off on the CDS that we order for the patient?  
 
   But please listen for yourself and let us know your thoughts. Join the LANP Health Policy Facebook page for further discussion.  
 
  WHAT CAN YOU DO?
     1.  Tell us if you have a personal relationship or connection with any member of the House or Senate Health & Welfare committee.
     2.  Encourage colleagues to JOIN LANP! The physician group had a ROOM FULL yesterday AND no less than 11 lobbyists to our one!! You know how they pay for those --- with membership dues. You will be hard pressed to find a physician that does not belong to their professional organization. https://lanp.enpnetwork.com/page/10131-membership-information        
          Change is coming, and while this particular rule may not have impacted your practice, the next one will.
    3.   Contribute a monthly recurring donation to the PAC. We MUST support those legislators that support us. https://lanppac.givingfuel.com/pac-giving-campaign
 
Yours in service,
Kathy Baldridge, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
President LANP
 
Jennifer Lemoine, PhD, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC
Health Policy Co-Chair