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Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners Political Action Committee |
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Legislative Update & Call to Action |
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Senator Susan Fargo, a supporter of NP issues, has drafted legislation to protect nursing mothers in the state of Massachusetts. We ask that you support this public health initiative by writing to your Senators and telling them that Massachusetts mothers need this protection. |
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Our bill, An Act to Ensure Consumer Choice of Nurse Practitioner Services is a component of Senate President Therese Murray’s health care package. It requires that health plans which have NPs in their network to recognize them as PCPs and list them in their provider network directories. It mandates NPs be included in the definition of primary care provider within statue. |
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S. 2438 An Act to Promote Breastfeeding |
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S 2660 An Act to Promote Cost Containment, Transparency and Efficiency in the Delivery of Quality Health Care |
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Massachusetts Legislative Initiatives |
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If you have any questions regarding the legislation listed on this page, please email browlands@mcnppac.org for more information |
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Click here to search for your legislator by zip code |
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H. 989 Requiring Equitable Insurance Coverage for Eating Disorders |
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Despite the fact that eating disorders are “biologically-based” and potentially have a genetic component, they were left off the list of disorders receiving “full parity.” This legislation will ensure health insurance companies in Massachusetts subject to the provisions of parity provide comprehensive coverage for the treatment of eating disorders by amending the Mental Health Parity Law to include eating disorders as biological illnesses. |
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H 4376 An Act to Promote Proper School Nutrition |
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The Commonwealth is facing an epidemic of childhood obesity, with heightened levels of diabetes, asthma, depression, and other health problems. H. 4376 is a common sense solution to promoting good nutrition, prohibiting the sale of sugar-packed drinks and junk food in schools. The bill requires the sale of healthier foods, like juice, water, and non-fried fruits and vegetables so that our children have the option to make healthier choices. H. 4376 is currently in the House Ways and Means Committee, and we need your help to get it passed! |
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Boston Channel 5 Chronicle- “Primary Care” |
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On 3/24/08 Channel five Chronicle had a special on the shortage of Primary Care Providers in Massachusetts. There were only two brief references to NPs and we were not presented in the best light. Many of you wrote letters and we have gotten a response: |
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S. 2438 will declare it lawful for a mother to breastfeed in public and prevent criminal charges from being filed against any mother that does breast feed in public. |
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H. 2140 An Act Establishing a Nursing Advisory Board |
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This legislation creates a forum for research and policy development related to the nursing profession in Massachusetts. This advisory Board will serve as a think tank which will produce research for long-range planning and strategic policy development in the field of nursing. |
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Write to your Representative to tell him or her that this is important to you. |
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Thank you everyone who participated in our letter writing campaign! |
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“I want to thank you for taking the time to write about our recent show on primary care. You were correct in pointing out the essential role of nurse practitioners in delivering primary care. As producer, I apologize for missing the boat on that. You deserve recognition for what you do and I look forward to finding the opportunity in an upcoming program to include the nurse practitioners. (I'd be lost without mine!) Thanks again for the feedback--viewers like you keep us on track.” |
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H. 989 is currently in the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing . Please call or e-mail your state Representative/Senator TODAY and ask them to support H. 989. |
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Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Industry Provider-Neutral Language |
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AANP continues to work with the pharmaceutical and medical device industry to encourage provider-neutral language in all direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads. Sign their petition we have created a petition to further demonstrate the importance of this issue to the NP discipline. Go to their web site at: |
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Our bill went to the Senate Floor for a vote and passed! Now we are in the House, starting with the Ways and Means Committee. Write to your Representative and ask that they support our bill with no changes to its current language. |