Feb 14, 2022 4 min read

We are facing a health care crisis in Pennsylvania: Families across the state lack access to the care they need. It is particularly bad in rural communities and for patients everywhere who have Medicaid insurance. Unfortunately, there are barriers standing between patients and nurse practitioners (NPs), who are ready, willing, and able to help.

Nearly 35% of Pennsylvanians live in an area or population group with inadequate primary care access. This translates into waiting extended periods of time to receive care or being forced to drive significant distances to a practice that is accepting new patients. Many people are not able to make it work and simply go without, which can lead to more serious medical problems in the long run. When families are forced to put off their care, the result is higher costs, worse outcomes, and a lower overall quality of life.

The pandemic exacerbated the problem when Gov. Tom Wolf banned all “elective procedures.” People with legitimate medical needs were barred from necessary medical care, which created serious backlogs when the governor finally lifted the ban.

There is no better time to act than now, especially considering the mental health crisis surrounding our young people. With the avalanche of mental health challenges, NPs can step in and assist. At a time when our health-care system is under pressure more than ever, we must allow our highly trained and capable nurse practitioners to provide critical care to Pennsylvanians who lack sufficient access.

The most frustrating part of all is that it does not have to be this way. We have the power to make it easier, not harder, for patients to get the care they need. Right now, NPs are mandated, no matter how experienced they are, to obtain a signed agreement with two physicians in order to practice. This acts like a bottleneck in communities where physicians are scarce and it is hard for NPs to find one to work with, let alone two.

This is why I sponsored Senate Bill 25, which would open the bottleneck for qualified NPs. My bill would permit Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to work without physician contracts after they meet a long list of requirements: earn a master’s degree or doctorate, become nationally certified, and work with a physician for three years and at least 3,600 hours. It ends the mandate that stands between qualified, experienced NPs and patients.

This is a proven way to improve health care. We know this because nearly every VA in the country, the District of Columbia, and 24 other states already have this reform in place – including conservative, rural states like Wyoming and liberal, east coast states like Massachusetts. Senate Bill 25 is bipartisan, with strong support across the aisle.

Some people have expressed concern that this would expand nurse practitioners’ scope of practice. That is not what my bill does. My bill clarifies that APRNs would not be able to do a single procedure or test that they are not currently educated, trained and licensed to do.

Senate Bill 25 would remove barriers nurses face that deter them from being able to help Pennsylvanians in areas where they are most needed. It makes sense: less red tape for APRNs means more APRNs can practice here. More APRNs means more people have access to care. More access to care means more people catch small health problems before they become big problems.

It is time to eliminate this needless oversight. It is time to ensure quality health care access for all Pennsylvanians. It is time to unleash this army of highly skilled nurse practitioners to fill the gap in much needed quality health care.

Sen. Camera Bartolotta represents the 46th District in the Pennsylvania Senate.