In addition, the legislation places no limits on how much and how often AHPs can increase premiums. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 80% of small employers and their employees would face rate increases as a result of this legislation, and that as many as 10,000 of the sickest in the plans would lose coverage. In addition, the legislation doesn’t protect consumers from unscrupulous marketing schemes, and the financial standards are not tough enough to ensure that consumers’ claims would be paid. An experiment in the 1980s and early 1990s with similar multi­employer welfare associations resulted in mass disruptions when plans failed. The ANA urges nurses to ask their Senate delegates to oppose the Small Business Health Care Fairness Act.

More information is available at http://bcbshealthissues.com/ahp/, and draft letters to Congress are available on the ANA’s Web site at www.anapoliticalpower.org.

In April, senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY) sponsored “Dear Colleague” letters in support of increased Fiscal Year 2005 appropriations funding for the Nurse Reinvestment Act and nurse education programs of Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act. These lawmakers are seeking $205 million in 2005—$63 million more than 2004.

To read more on this issue, go to www.anapoliticalpower.org and click on “Learn About the Issues.” Scroll down to “Funding for Nursing Workforce Development.”

State News

The Montana Nurses Association (MNA) led the fight against proposed administrative rules for medical assistants. Legislation gave the Board of Medical Examiners (BOME) the authority to establish a law allowing physicians and podiatrists to delegate clinical and administrative tasks to medical assistants “in their office.” The MNA negotiated amendments to prevent this bill from being applied in acute care facilities. However, the BOME proposed rule defined the physician’s or podiatrist’s office as any place where patients are seen, including hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, the rule added physician assistants as “delegators” and did not provide guidelines for allowable tasks for delegation, the level of supervision required, or the minimal educational requirements for medical assistants. At a hearing, MNA members testified in strong opposition and were joined by Representative Eve Franklin (D-MT), RN, and 82 other opponents. Because of the volume of opposing comments and testimonies, the BOME withdrew the proposed rule and will revisit the process later. As new rules are proposed, the MNA be an advocate for Montana citizens and the nursing profession.

Tips for Political Action

The most effective way to influence a lawmaker’s position on an issue is a face-to-face meeting with either that person or with a staff member, such as the chief of staff, a legislative assistant, or an administrative assistant. In fact, meeting with a lawmaker’s staff can often reap quicker and better results since staffers draft legislation, are frequently more knowledgeable about a particular subject than the lawmaker, and select which issues need to be brought to the member’s attention.

To schedule a meeting, call the lawmaker’s Washington or district office and ask for the name and fax number for the scheduler. Fax requests at least three weeks before the desired meeting and include your name, your city and voter registration address, and the issue to be discussed. In addition, copy the ANA’s Department of Government Affairs on your request. If several days pass without a response, contact the scheduler again.

Visit the ANA Government Affairs Web site www.anapoliticalpower.org for lawmaker contact information and a sample meeting request.

Rose Gonzalez is director of government affairs and Joan Meehan-Hurwitz is the director of communications at the ANA.

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