Rep. Ledbetter authors legislation to increase health care access, lower patient costs
STATEHOUSE (Jan. 25, 2024) – State Rep. Cindy Ledbetter (R-Newburgh) filed legislation to improve healthcare access and lower patient costs by expanding the roles of advanced practice registered nurses in Hoosier hospitals and medical facilities.
“As a family psychiatric nurse practitioner, I know the effects of not having enough physicians, especially in our rural communities,” Dr. Ledbetter said. “Advanced practice registered nurses can step up and fill this void given the opportunity just like they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this bill, APRNs could provide care without unnecessary barriers that ultimately limit health care access and drive up costs for patients.”
Ledbetter said her legislation would delete an outdated state law that requires APRNs to have a practice agreement with a collaborating physician to provide services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indiana State Board of Nursing temporarily waived this requirement, which she said helped increase access to care and streamline services for patients. Due, in part to this law, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners identifies Indiana as being one of the states that limits the full scope of practice for APRNs. The organization reports that over half of all U.S. states currently allow APRNs to have full practice authority.
Ledbetter’s bill would also allow APRNs with prescriptive authority to prescribe schedule II drugs for addressing obesity.
