ANA's Efforts
ANA has long been a supporter of meaningful healthcare reform that assures universal access to high-quality, affordable health care for all people in the United States. ANA’s updated Health System Reform Agenda released in 2008 carries this message into the current critical national healthcare debate, advocating that that health care is a basic human right; that a public health insurance plan option must be created to expand choice and control costs; and that a sufficient and fully utilized nursing workforce is necessary to ensure access to quality care
AN is actively working for the inclusion of a public option in any health care reform package and is proudly representing the nursing profession at ongoing healthcare summits and forums, working with lawmakers, the Obama administration, and other stakeholders to find answers and take action.
ANA was on Capitol Hill on June 24th, to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee on health care reform. Donna Policastro, RNP, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Nurses Association spoke on behalf of ANA at Wednesday’s committee hearing, “Proposals to Reform the Health System”. ANA followed up the next day, June 25th, with testimony at a hearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Kathleen M. White, PhD, RN, CNAA, BC, Chair of the Congress on Nursing Practice and Economics (CNPE) testified on behalf of ANA at the hearing.
ANA Joins President Obama at White House to Promote Health Care Reform
ANA members joined President Obama on Wednesday, July 15th at a White House press conference, sending a strong message to Congress that the country no longer can wait to reform health care as rising costs threaten the financial stability of families and their ability to access health care services. The President praised nurses as an essential component to our health care system, saying without them, many in underserved areas would not receive health care at all.
