**Important** Please contact your Members of Congress to support US Senate Bill 717 and House Bill 1616!!!

On Feb. 25, Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced S. 717, the Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025, which would authorize nurse practitioners (NPs) to order cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation for Medicare patients. While an NP may be the primary care provider for a patient and be most familiar with the patient’s health care needs, under current law, the NP must refer the patient to a physician to order these services. Removal of this outdated barrier will increase Medicare patient access to these lifesaving programs.

 

On Feb. 26, Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Nanette Barragán (D-CA) introduced H.R. 1616, the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act, which would authorize NPs to certify their Medicare patients’ need for therapeutic shoes. Currently, an NP’s patient with diabetes must undergo the following multistep process to obtain medically necessary therapeutic shoes under Medicare: When the treating NP determines that the patient has a condition requiring therapeutic shoes, the NP must send the patient to a physician to make the same determination and to take over the patient’s care related to diabetes. Passage of this legislation will make it possible for NPs to continue providing high-quality care to their Medicare patients with diabetes and will reduce Medicare spending by eliminating duplicative services, improve the timeliness of care for patients with diabetes who need therapeutic shoes and allow the patient to continue receiving care from their provider of choice.

 

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) urges every NP to utilize the AANP Advocacy Center and contact their Members of Congress. With just a few clicks, you can encourage your elected officials to support these federal legislative priorities.