Federal Update - By The Number American Nurse Enterprise CEO, Angela Beddoe
Posted 13 days ago by Sherry Chandler
Dear Colleagues,
Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, and it will soon head to the President's desk for his signature. American Nurses Association President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, issued the following statement in response:
"We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts of the bill that has just passed both houses of Congress and will soon go to the President's desk for signature.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 1 will slash healthcare funding by $1.1 trillion, with $930 billion in Medicaid cuts, and cause 11.8 million Americans to lose access to their health insurance. These are not just numbers – they are human beings.
Passage of this bill is a devastating blow to millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid. Nurses see firsthand how critical Medicaid is as a lifeline for families, seniors, children, and those living in rural and underinvested areas. These cuts will have a downstream negative effect on clinic access, staffing, and access to care, with consequences that will be felt for generations.
The American Nurses Association's commitment to ensuring human flourishing and access to healthcare remains steadfast. We will continue to advocate relentlessly to defend healthcare access, hold policy makers and regulators accountable, and mitigate these damaging cuts. Nurses are the trusted voices in every community across this country, and we will continue to speak out for our patients and the future of healthcare in America. The American Nurses Association stands firm in its commitment to protect patients, communities, and the nursing workforce."
In the coming weeks, our team will provide you with a final bill summary and our assessment of the bill's impact on our profession and healthcare overall.
Today, I want to thank you all for all that you have done to support and protect Medicaid on behalf of our Association.
On June 26, more than 500 nurses descended on Washington, DC for our annual Hill Day. Those nurse leaders represented 47 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They participated in 337 congressional meetings –– 86 of those meetings were directly with members of Congress. Members of ANA-Vermont were also invited back to The Capitol for a follow-up meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), where they were invited to record an interview that will be released at a later date.
While on Capitol Hill, nurses distributed 450 stethoscopes to their representatives – each tagged with a simple message: "Nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare. Hear our voices."
In the days leading up to today's vote, we reached out with a call to action to our members. And you did – through thousands of letters and hundreds of phone calls facilitated through RNAction.org. I cannot thank you enough for accepting the call –– we cannot do this work without you.
I want to encourage you to reach out to your Representatives who voted "no" on H.R. 1 to thank them and remind them to remain vigilant in the pursuit to protect and preserve access to care for all.
To see how your Representative voted, click here.
Below, you will find a report of the media coverage we received over the last week because of our efforts around Hill Day and our Medicaid advocacy. I'm also including some additional resources for your benefit.
Thank you for all that you do – for nurses, for patients, and in pursuit of a healthier world through The Power of Nurses™.
Warm regards,
Angela Beddoe
Chief Executive Officer
American Nurses Enterprise