New Coalition of Providers Aims to Protect Access, Maintain Stability in California’s Health Care Delivery System
The California Association for Nurse Practitioners (CANP) today announced that it has joined a new coalition of health care providers formed to protect access to health care and maintain stability in California’s health care delivery system.
The Coalition to Protect Access to Care is focused on protecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and opposing Senate Bill 562, the single-payer legislation that is currently held in the State Assembly (and which has been criticized for the lack of specifics and a potential cost of over $400 billion – more than twice the amount of the entire state budget). The Coalition will also work together to identify alternative solutions to move California’s health care system forward, toward universal health care.
CANP issued the following statement from President Theresa Ullrich, MSN FNP-C, regarding the Coalition to Protect Access to Care:
“As health care providers on the frontlines, we see the myriad of problems facing providers and the patients in their care. Now is not the time for more instability. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Nurse Practitioners have been able to help provide quality care for so many more of those in need. But today we face massive challenges from Washington, ranging from the inability of Congress to extend the CHIP program to the continued attacks on the ACA. In addition, we face a lack of health providers, especially in our rural communities.”
“We applaud the work being done by our State Legislators as they work toward solutions facing our health care system, but now is not the time to create an even greater degree of uncertainty. We look forward to participating with the Coalition to protect the ACA and improve our delivery system. In addition, CANP will continue to fight for full practice authority. As we have seen in other states, full practice authority will allow NPs to better serve patients in every setting.”
Read more about CANP and the push for full practice authority here: capitolweekly.net/nurse-practitioners-key-piece-health care-puzzle/
The Coalition to Protect Access to Care includes physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and community clinics. Learn more about the Coalition here: accesstohealthcareca.com