Congress Introduces Legislation to Improve Care for Patients With Diabetes

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners^® (AANP) applauds the introduction of S. 260 and H.R. 704, the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act, in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives by Sens. Brown (D-OH) and Collins (R-ME) and Reps. Blumenauer (D-OR) and LaHood (R-IL). Currently, nurse practitioners (NPs) treating Medicare patients in need of diabetic shoes must refer them to a physician who can certify that need. This legislation would allow patients to continue receiving care from their chosen health care provider by authorizing NPs to certify their patients' need for diabetic shoes.

"This legislation would streamline health care delivery, ensuring that patients with diabetes receive the care they need when they need it ? from their provider of choice," said AANP President April Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN. "Patients should not have to endure outdated barriers to care that come between them and their health care provider. Requiring a physician to certify that a patient requires diabetic shoes ? after the patient's NP has already made that determination ? leads to delays in treatment and increases costs to the Medicare program by requiring the participation of an additional provider. We thank Senators Brown and Collins as well as Representatives Blumenauer and LaHood for their efforts and look forward to the passage of this legislation."

Under the Medicare program, NPs are authorized to be reimbursed for the treatment of patients with diabetes, yet they are not authorized to certify their patients' need for diabetic shoes. For decades, NPs have demonstrated that they provide high-quality health care to patients, including those with diabetes. Now is the time to remove this outdated practice barrier with legislation that streamlines the delivery of high-quality care and respects patient choice.

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners^® (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 355,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner^®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners