The Massachusetts Health Care Reform was passed and put into action in April of 2006.  The goal of the reform was to enhance the quality of care, increase access to health care for lower income people, and lower the cost of health care.  The new law requires everyone to have some type of health insurance that specifically fits their financial needs. Before the bill was passed, approximately one out of ten adults in Massachusetts went without health coverage.  Since the reform was passed, the number of low-income residents without health insurance has decreased dramatically.

How does this affect nurses?

There is a false notion that the Health Care Reform is causing nurses to lose their jobs because hospitals are forced to make cuts.  This however, is not the case.  These cuts are occurring as a result of the troubled economy which we are currently experiencing.  The bill in fact, is very beneficial to nurses.  It provides money for advanced practice and general nurse education.  This reform also creates grants for safety net programs, for example, nurse-managed health clinics.  The new bill particularly assists nurse practitioners because now the money will be present to support their nurse-managed clinics.  Before the reform, it was extremely difficult for nurse practitioners to run their own practice.

01.20.11
ANA Affirms Support for Affordable Care Act

The American Nurses Association (ANA) voiced its strong support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its disappointment with efforts by the 112nd Congress to repeal the law. 
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