Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18, the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee is scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 25– legislation that would allow CRNPs to practice medicine independently in Pennsylvania and without the education and training required of physicians.
If your state Senator is a member of this committee, please contact them immediately and urge a “No” vote. It’s as easy as sending an email through PAMED’s grassroots action tool or placing a quick phone call with provided talking points.
Why your state Senator should
oppose this bill:
Standing Up for Patient Care & Patient Safety.
The best, most effective care occurs when a team of health care professionals with complementary — not interchangeable — skills work together. The collaborative agreement between CRNPs and physicians plays a significant role in patient safety and enhances rather than impedes the ability of CRNPs to deliver quality patient care.
The Difference in Education Between Physicians and CRNPs.
The differences in clinical training and supervised patient care hours are incomparable, with physicians having between 12,000 and 16,000 hours, and, in stark contrast, CRNPs only having 500-720 hours.
Collaboration and Teamwork over Fragmentation.
Eliminating the collaborative agreement that currently exists between CRNPs and physicians would only serve to further fragment patient care. Physician-led, team-based care emphasizes increased coordination and integration among providers, rather than provider autonomy.
It’s Not an Answer to Access to Care Concerns.
In states where CRNPs have gained practice autonomy, neither access to care nor cost savings have substantially increased. Why? Current collaboration requirements do not prevent CRNPs from practicing in rural and underserved areas. In reality, the same factors that impact a physician’s ability to practice in rural areas also affect CRNPs.
Please urge your Senator to vote “No” to SB 25 on Tuesday.
PAMED continues to strongly oppose this bill, and supports a physician-led, team-based approach to care.
The following is a list of Senators in the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee:
Majority
- Tomlinson, Robert M., Chair
- Scavello, Mario M., Vice Chair
- Scarnati, Joseph B., III, Ex‑Officio
- Baker, Lisa
- Bartolotta, Camera
- Gordner, John R.
- Greenleaf, Stewart J.
- Killion, Thomas H.
- Rafferty, John C., Jr.
- Regan, Mike
Minority
