Immediate action needed to help our Veterans access health care!

New legislation was introduced late last week, the Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act (HR 5985). The bill includes an unrelated provision (Sec. 415) that would prevent the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) from allowing our APRN colleagues to practice to the full extent of their education within VHA facilities.

Please contact your House Representatives and request that HR 5985 be removed from the House legislative calendar until a clean bill (without Section 415) can be considered to protect veterans' benefits.

The goal is to urge the VA to publish the final rule in the Federal Register and to stop any effort to impede veterans' access to care. Members of Congress are back in D.C. for just a few short weeks. So act quickly.

To find your House Representatives go to: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ and type in your zip code. You can email your request through this website – just follow the 'Contact' tab.

Attached is AANP's letter that you can use or modify.

Also remember to sign the petition for full practice authority for the VA APNs. We will send the signatures to Secretary Robert A. McDonald.

Don't forget to register for Pearls of Practice Part 4: Emerging trends in Pharmacology on October 1 at AAMC.

Elaine Crain, DNP MAAPC Communications Chair