NCSBN STATEMENT ON ICAN ACT
 March 21, 2025 American Nurses Association (ANA) Praises Unparalleled Support for the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act The ANA recognized the “overwhelming support for the ICAN Act (S. 575/H.R. 1317), with endorsements from 263 organizations, including all 51 constituent/state nursing associations (C/SNAs) and 29 organizational affiliates (OAs). This milestone reflects a record level of backing for the legislation, highlighting the widespread recognition of the critical role advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) play in expanding access to high-quality health care.” “The ICAN Act aims to modernize outdated Medicare and Medicaid policies by removing federal barriers that limit APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training. By eliminating these restrictions, the bill will improve health care access, particularly in rural and underserved communities, where APRNs frequently serve as primary providers.” “The reintroduction of this bill is a critical step toward expanding health care access across the country,” said ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “By removing these dated barriers, we are empowering APRNs to provide care that they have been trained to offer—especially in rural and underserved communities where we know they are often the primary providers. The ICAN Act builds on the progress we’ve made to date, making these changes permanent so every patient can get the care they need from the provider they trust.”American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Expresses Support Legislation to Ensure Timely, High-Quality Anesthesia Care for VeteransThe Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act of 2025 was introduced by Rep. Lauren Underwood (Illinois) and Rep. Jen Kiggans (Virginia) on March 18. This legislation is intended to “secure veterans’ ability to access to high quality anesthesia care within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).” Additionally, this legislation would “align the VHA with current Defense Health Agency policy that allows both certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and physician anesthesiologists to be autonomous providers of anesthesia, while strengthening safety and transparency within the VHA.”“As a veteran and practicing CRNA, I am excited to see Representatives Underwood and Kiggans introduce this critical legislation to help our veterans get the prompt care they deserve,” said Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, president of AANA. “For too long veterans have been denied timely access to care within the VHA due to outdated barriers and red tape that this bill would finally address.” Copyright © 2025 NCSBN, All rights reserved.  |
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