Louisiana Healthcare is circling the drain

Dear Louisiana NP,

 

Louisiana Healthcare is circling the drain. We have been last in health outcomes for more than 10 years. Nurse Practitioners can change that! But it cannot be changed sitting on the sidelines waiting for something to happen. It requires Unity and Commitment! This is not a sprint that happens every legislative session – it is a marathon. And there is no better time than now to get started.

 

The 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions were very active. Access to Care has become the new buzzword around the capitol and I credit La. NPs for that. We have been fighting to improve access to care in Louisiana for as long as I can remember. Every session, including 2022, we are there, fighting for your rights and improved health for Louisiana. Some ground was gained in 2022. If you want to know more about that, go to the LANP CE Center and select “2022 Legislative Update”.

 

But know this, not one inch of ground gained comes easily.

 

It is a fight, and it is time that YOU get involved. Not only are you licensed NPs, with a vested interest in what happens to you (if you are thinking legislation doesn’t affect you, think again!); you are also voters, and you and your family are patients. It is time that we change the face of healthcare in Louisiana.

 

The one thing I know for sure, is that the LANP board of directors cannot do it alone. We need people that are willing to roll up their sleeves and dive in. Here is where you start….but don’t stop after these 4 items.

1. Join LANP if you are not a member. If you are a member, make sure you do automatic renewal. Membership dues are used for marketing and to pay a Lobbyist to represent our interest.
2. Donate to the PAC. A $25/month recurring donation goes a long way. These monies are used to make campaign contributions in the name of LANP. Currently we have about $30,000 in our PAC. Organized medicine has about $150,000 (Louisiana State Medical Society).
3. Make a personal donation to your legislator. Believe me, they will remember your name when you give them a personal check
4. Visit with your legislator. You are a voter in their district. You live and work in the same communities. You have a vested interests in the decisions that they make at the capitol. Not just for NPs. Take the opportunity to educate them on what you do.

 

I wish that I could tell you that money doesn’t matter. But it does. A Louisiana legislator makes about $20,000/year and running a campaign is expensive. They remember who contributes. I wish that I could tell you that you could just sit back and wait for things to get better – but that isn’t realistic. You MUST establish relationships with your legislators.

 

WE NEED YOU! Attached is a list of legislators in your Region. Click here to find your specific legislator https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/FindMyLegislators.aspx. Determine just ONE of your legislators House or Senate that you will personally establish a relationship and make it your mission to educate on the NP Role and how it can improve Access to Care for Louisiana. Then,

1. Let the Health Policy Committee know that you are committed to X Legislator.
2. Schedule a meeting with them. Use the attached Strategy Worksheet to prepare for your meeting.
3. Keep in touch with the Health Policy Liaison for your region or the LANP Health Policy team about your meetings (lemoine@louisiana.edu; president@lanp.org; or Keli@oursoconsulting.org)
4. Talk to your friends a colleagues to cover the other Legislators in your area!

 

If you volunteered to be a Health Policy Liaison for your region – Please send a email letting your region know that you are present and able to help. In most of the regions, we are still looking for health policy liaisons in your region that would help us with the organization and record of meetings. Time commitment is about 4-6 hours per month. Please email your interest in this position.

 

The LANP Health Policy team is always at your disposal to answer questions. There are also advocacy resources on the LANP website (click here) or you can find advocacy resources on the AANP website.

 

Kansas recently passed full practice authority – without restrictions. When asked what they felt made them successful – it was Kansas NPs that got involved across the state. They educated legislators and advocated for their patients and their profession before the legislative session even started. Please stop waiting, please get involved, please be engaged, please ask questions. Let’s get this done!!

 

Yours in service,

Kathy Baldridge, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP

President LANP

 

Jennifer Lemoine, DNP, NNP

Health Policy Co-Chair

 

Kyle Lavergne, DNP, FNP

Health Policy Co-Chair

 

Keli Williams

LANP Lobbyist