Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
New Policy for the APRNs
Natalie Fleagle
Widener University
New Policy for the APRNs
America Nursing Association (ANA) supports the ability of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to certify Medicare patients for home health services. ANA believes that APRN should be able to certify patients for home health care and to develop and sign their plans of care in accordance with state law (ANA, 2012). The Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) presents many opportunities for a APRNs and RNs with their baccalaureate degree. Under the new health reform, the bill provides positive circumstances in which the APRN can engage and fully participate in many different organizations.(Mason, Levitt, & Chaffee, 2012 ) .This will …show more content…
Medicare beneficiaries use home health services allowing seniors and other patients to receive intermittent nursing care or other services at home or at a nursing home facility as an alternative. Physicians are the gatekeepers of the Medicare home health benefit, but nursing provides the fundamentals in the home health service. In order for a Medicare patient to receive these services a physician must confirm that a patient is homebound and requires skilled services such as nursing care or any other type of therapies. Currently, the Medicare rules and regulations specifically exclude APRNs from being allowed to certify patients for home health services. “Medicare accepts APRNs signatures on certifications or re-certification forms to enable patients to receive post-acute care and rehabilitation services for complex medical conditions such as joint replacements, stroke and heart failure” (Brassard, 2012,p.3). Presently, APRNs are unable to sign the Plan of care or Start of Care for the home health patient. The ANA supports the ability of an advanced practice registered nurse to certify Medicare patients for home health services, and the ANA urges support for the bill recognizing APRNs ability to sign home health plans of care for Medicare patients. If this bill is passed …show more content…
There are more than 64 million Americans over the age of 65 years old and 7.5 million Americans over the age of 85 years old (Mason et al., 2012). Seniors will have to manage their health and chronic conditions in order to continue a more independent lifestyle. Home care providers are all experienced in managing chronically ill patients and the passing of the new legislation will benefit patients immensely in our rapidly aging population. As every American senior has the entitlement to obtain quality health care. “ Allowing APRNs to sign initial home care orders this will critically mitigate staffing shortages by increasing capacity to manage the chronically ill patients at home with more sophisticated clinical and technological interventions”(Mason et al., p.
Natalie Fleagle
Widener University
New Policy for the APRNs
America Nursing Association (ANA) supports the ability of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to certify Medicare patients for home health services. ANA believes that APRN should be able to certify patients for home health care and to develop and sign their plans of care in accordance with state law (ANA, 2012). The Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) presents many opportunities for a APRNs and RNs with their baccalaureate degree. Under the new health reform, the bill provides positive circumstances in which the APRN can engage and fully participate in many different organizations.(Mason, Levitt, & Chaffee, 2012 ) .This will …show more content…
Medicare beneficiaries use home health services allowing seniors and other patients to receive intermittent nursing care or other services at home or at a nursing home facility as an alternative. Physicians are the gatekeepers of the Medicare home health benefit, but nursing provides the fundamentals in the home health service. In order for a Medicare patient to receive these services a physician must confirm that a patient is homebound and requires skilled services such as nursing care or any other type of therapies. Currently, the Medicare rules and regulations specifically exclude APRNs from being allowed to certify patients for home health services. “Medicare accepts APRNs signatures on certifications or re-certification forms to enable patients to receive post-acute care and rehabilitation services for complex medical conditions such as joint replacements, stroke and heart failure” (Brassard, 2012,p.3). Presently, APRNs are unable to sign the Plan of care or Start of Care for the home health patient. The ANA supports the ability of an advanced practice registered nurse to certify Medicare patients for home health services, and the ANA urges support for the bill recognizing APRNs ability to sign home health plans of care for Medicare patients. If this bill is passed …show more content…
There are more than 64 million Americans over the age of 65 years old and 7.5 million Americans over the age of 85 years old (Mason et al., 2012). Seniors will have to manage their health and chronic conditions in order to continue a more independent lifestyle. Home care providers are all experienced in managing chronically ill patients and the passing of the new legislation will benefit patients immensely in our rapidly aging population. As every American senior has the entitlement to obtain quality health care. “ Allowing APRNs to sign initial home care orders this will critically mitigate staffing shortages by increasing capacity to manage the chronically ill patients at home with more sophisticated clinical and technological interventions”(Mason et al., p.