February 16, 2010
Dear APNO Members,
A new year has begun and February is half gone. With any luck, you all have had a chance to recover from the rigors of the last Holiday Season.
The Networking/Marketing/Public Education portion of the APNO will attempt to bring relevant information to you regarding professional and collegial concerns. I need your help in defining and presenting this position. I cannot be an expert in all things, nor do I desire to be. However, without doubt, each of us has unique experiences that allow for expertise in many areas. This is where I am asking for your assistance.
I am looking for volunteers to assist in the development and maintenance of APNO’s Networking/Marketing/Public Education Committee. This committee is in it’s infancy with the common understanding that progress is sometimes better as evolution, not revolution. It is recognized that all of us have private and professional stressors all about us. This is all the more reason that if all of us take on a small part and move toward common goals, that good (and with any organized luck) and great things can happen. Mine, is a limited perception that needs the balance of about five or six motivated and like minded others. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Below are links to what I believe to be an introduction to relevant information. There will be more to follow from my own perspective. Feedback from APNO membership is required to keep me from presenting only my perceived concerns. Please feel free to utilize my e-mail for constructive suggestions and I will attempt to deliver.
It is with great anticipation (and a little fear and anxiety) that I should be able to meet and work with all of our members toward common ends.
With much respect and hope,
Wm. David LaFevers, DNP, RN, FNP-C
wdlafevers@gmail.com
1. Missouri Nurses Association
· MONA Special Interest Group (MONA SIG), the focus is on APN issues.
Next meeting to be held the evening of April 14th prior to the April 15th/16th conference. The time and location to be announced.
2. American Nurses Association Response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address 1/28/10
3. Missouri State Board of Nursing
4. Happenings Around the Nation
5. Happenings at Jefferson City
FROM: Kyna Iman
DATE: Friday, February 12, 2010
RE: Weekly Report
On Tuesday, in Senate Health, Mental Health, Seniors and Families Committee, I testified on behalf of MONA in favor of Senate Bill 742, sponsored by Senator Wes Shoemyer. SB742 modifies the membership of the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee. There are several other providers of healthcare services being added to the committee. The Senate Committee questioned if 29 members on the Oversight Committee may be too many to accomplish simple goals. Shoemyer responded that those providing healthcare services should all have a voice and seat at the Oversight Committee. There was no vote on the bill.
On Wednesday, the House Health Care Policy committee heard House Bill 1918, sponsored by Rep. David Sater. HB1918 amends various requirements for public assistance programs administered by the state and is supposed to save the state $121 million. A summary of the complete bill is at the bottom of this report. The hearing was not completed and will be continued to next week.
The “prompt-pay” legislation, House Bill 1498, sponsored by Rep. Tim Jones, is supposed to be voted on in the House Health Care Policy committee on Tuesday, February 16. This bill changes the laws regarding the requirements for reimbursing health insurance claims.
Senator Frank Barnitz has agreed to sponsor the physical therapy language (similar to Rep. Allen’s HB1449) in the Senate. The bill has been drafted and yellow-backed, but not turned in at this time.
For the first time in about eight years, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee has filed budget bills that mirror the Governor’s recommendations. This was the standard until around 2002 when former Representative Carl Bearden changed the process and basically ignored the Governor’s recommendations in his introduced bills. This further signals the intense anxiety around the budget as all parties seek to blame the other for the pending cuts.
