A long email about MCNPs Board Updates from our January meeting
Posted about 13 years ago by Elaine Crain
This announcement has 1 attachment:
Remember the Maryland Nurse's Lobby Day in Annapolis is on Monday, February 21, 2011. You can find out more information and register on our website: mcnponline.enpnetwork.com (we are working on our mcnponline.org, somehow it will not link up) and at the MNA website: www.marylandrn.org.
Our 3rd annual conference is on Saturday, April 16, 2011. Registration and information will be on the website soon.
The Maryland Coalition of Nurse Practitioners will be changing its name, pending the vote of the membership in March, to the Maryland Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses & Physicians Assistants: “Maryland Coalition” for short. Please forward any comments or suggestions to our new president, Angela Borger at Alborger@aol.com, or to me.
State Senator Mac Middleton (www.macmiddleton.com) wants to introduce legislation in the 2011 session in Annapolis requiring private insurance companies to credential NPs and address pay parity issues. We will let you know when we need help on this issue.
At this time, many private insurers do not credential NPs – this means you must work for a physician to be able to bill an insurance company for patient care. Most private insurance companies, and Medicare, pay NPs at rates up to 25% lower than their physician counterparts. This may also hold true for our APN and PA colleagues – I will have more on their issues as we move forward to include them in our Coalition.
US Senator Mikulski (http://mikulski.senate.gov/) has requested our support at the Federal level for the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act (S. 2814). This legislation would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to initiate home health care for Medicare recipients. Please go to her website for information on how to send emails/letters/calls for support.
Congratulations to Lorraine Diana, Shah Associates; Susan Delean-Botkin, FamilyCare of Easton; and Elaine Crain, Severna Park Medical Associates who have been chosen to participate in the Maryland Multi-Payer PCMH Program (MMPP): Patient-Centered Medical Home. They are in a select group of only 60 Maryland practices. For more information see http://mhcc.maryland.gov/main_menus/about.html.
As our mission is to promote the professional advancement of Nurse Practitioners in the State of Maryland, we are asking all of you to join us to better the fate and daily lives of nurse practitioners through out the state, and soon all advanced practice nurses and physicians assistants.
Annual dues are:
- Full membership $125 annually
- Affiliate membership $75 annually (Any non-nurse practitioner interested in fostering the purpose and mission of MCNP)
- Student membership $50 annually (A Registered Nurse enrolled as a graduate student in a Nurse Practitioner program)
The membership year begins in July. You can join on our website and by snail mail.
Due to the political maneuvering of our supporters- and detractors - in the Annapolis General Assembly, we are also asking for donations. We will be retaining our lobbyist, Van Mitchell (www.maniscanning.com) for 2011 and possibly many years to come.
For those of you new to us, lobbyists are very expensive to retain. Our bill for the 2010 legislative session was $25,000. We can expect the fees for the next few years to be similar
Most can write off annual dues as a professional expense. Please check with your accountant for regulations about donations.
Hope to see you all at the Greater Annapolis NP & PA dinner on Tuesday, February 8 at Ruth’s Chris – the invite is attached.
Yours in Independence,
Elaine M. Crain, MSN, CRNP
MCNP Secretary, Greater Annapolis Coordinator
Coordinator: One who brings the different elements of a complex activity or organization into a relationship that will ensure efficiency or harmony.