H.B. 1160 Talking Points
How can the Certified Nurse Practitioner Medically Underserved Program help Arkansas?
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Arkansas ranks 48th in number of physicians per population ratio in Arkansas (American
Association of Medical Colleges, 2013).
● Arkansas has a problem providing access to health care in 2015. According to the
Commonwealth Fund, Arkansas ranks 44th among the 50 states for access to primary care.
● The Arkansas HealthCare Independence Act has now insured 213,000 previously uninsured
Arkansans, creating an even greater shortage of primary healthcare providers.
What is a Certified Nurse Practitioner?
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Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) hold graduate degrees and national certification.
Their advanced clinical training has prepared them to diagnose and treat patients in
primary, acute, and long-term care settings.
Thousands of research studies spanning over forty years have consistently shown the
safety, quality, and cost effectiveness of CNP practice.
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia already have already passed full practice
authority legislation for nurse practitioners. Several of these states have used this model
of regulation for over two decades with safe, quality care outcomes.
HB 1160 will help Arkansas in the following ways:
● Improve access to health care in Medically Underserved Areas of Arkansas by:
● Authorizing certified nurse practitioners with two or more years of experience with a
collaborating physician to apply for a permit to practice in a Medically Underserved Area
without a required written collaborative agreement.
● Authorizing certified nurse practitioners with less than two years of experience to practice
with a physician collaborative practice agreement while providing a full range of services as
permitted by the CNP Medically Underserved Program.
Full practice authority for certified nurse practitioners (CNPs):
● Improves access by creating greater access to care, especially in medically underserved
areas.
● Streamlines care and makes care delivery more efficient by providing patients full and direct
access to the full scope of services at the point of care.
● Decreases costs by avoiding duplication of services and billing costs associated with
unnecessary physician oversight of practice. Full practice authority also reduces
unnecessary repetition of orders, office visits, and services.
● Protects patient choice --allows patients to see the health care provider of their choice.
Patients, health care experts, and LEGISLATORS recommend full practice authority for CNPs,
including:
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Institute of Medicine
National Governor’s Association
Bipartisan Policy Center
National Council of State Legislatures
The Josiah Macy Foundation
AARP
Federal Trade Commission
For more information, contact the Arkansas Nurses Association:
www.arna.org
501-244-2363