AANP Applauds Congressional Passage of Final Opioid Legislation

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) commends the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate for their bipartisan commitment to combat the opioid crisis with the passage of comprehensive opioid legislation. The final bill, advancing to President Trump for signature, contains a vital provision that makes permanent the temporary authorization granted nurse practitioners (NPs) and PAs under the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act of 2016 to provide lifesaving medication assisted treatments (MATs) for patients battling addiction.

AANP President Joyce Knestrick, Ph.D., C-FNP, APRN, FAANP, expressed her appreciation for Congress' efforts to reach compromise and pass a final bill, "Today, patients with opioid addiction – and their families -- won. Congress has helped ensure that all patients seeking treatment for opioid use disorder can access the care they need. With 248,000 NPs nationwide and nearly 7,000 NPs already waivered to prescribe MATs, we will work to ensure thousands of NPs complete the training and become waivered. Congress has opened the door to help millions of Americans struggling with addiction." 

AANP urges the President to swiftly sign the bill into law, enabling the NP workforce to continue to expand access to MAT for opioid-addicted patients nationwide.

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 248,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NP patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate a nurse practitioner in your community, go to npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.

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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners