ICAN Act Increases Patient Access to High-Quality Healthcare

AANA Applauds the Introduction of The Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act in Senate of 118^th Congress

ROSEMONT, Ill., July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A Senate Bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), joining more than a dozen Representatives who are sponsoring the House version. If passed, the ICAN Act would remove practice barriers for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) by allowing them to provide more comprehensive healthcare services to patients across the country.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) supports this legislation, which will remove physician supervision of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and provide access to CRNA services in Medicaid.

"As the only anesthesia providers in most rural hospitals, and the predominant providers in underserved communities, CRNAs play an important role in maintaining critical access in communities across the country," said AANA President Angela Mund, DNP, CRNA. "However, superfluous regulations serve as barriers to expanding care, especially at a time when those same communities face a shortage of providers. This critical legislation will help ensure that everyone who needs access to the high-quality care provided by advanced practice registered nurses such as CRNAs can have it." 

Specifically, this legislation will ensure proper reimbursement for CRNAs to provide quality anesthesia and pain management for patients in Medicare, allow CRNAs to order and refer medically necessary services, permanently remove unnecessary physician supervision under Medicare, promote payment parity in the teaching rules, and provide access to CRNA services in Medicaid.

CRNAs, as advanced practice registered nurses, are members of one of the most trusted professions according to Gallup. CRNAs provide anesthesia care across all settings, including as the primary providers of anesthesia on the battlefield in forward surgical teams.

"As a nurse anesthetist, I know firsthand how important it is to allow advanced practice registered nurses to work to the top of our education and scope," Mund said. "For nearly three years during the COVID public health emergency, Medicare waived practice barriers to allow CRNAs and others to step up on the front lines and treat patients safely and effectively. We have seen how much nurses can do when we remove burdensome regulations and allow them to reach the full potential of their education and scope of practice. It is time to make those temporary waivers permanent."

When anesthesia delivery is staffed and directed by CRNAs, costly duplication of services is avoided. This can help healthcare facilities use limited resources to further improve patient care. Removing these barriers is a critical way to increase access to care in light of the current healthcare workforce shortages and will increase access to underserved communities while lowering costs for patients.

Visit ICAN action alert for more information about the ICAN Act and to urge your representative to support this legislation.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology