American Nurses Association Applauds Unprecedented Support for the ICAN Act
Nursing Organizations Underscores the Urgency of Eliminating Barriers to APRN Practice
MEDIA CONTACT: newsroom@ana.org
SILVER SPRING, MD – The American Nurses Association (ANA) is proud to be part of the overwhelming support for the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (S. 575/H.R. 1317), with endorsements from 263 organizations, including all 51 constituent/state nursing associations (C/SNAs) and 29 organizational affiliates (OAs). This milestone reflects a record level of backing for the legislation, highlighting the widespread recognition of the critical role advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) play in expanding access to high-quality health care.
The ICAN Act aims to modernize outdated Medicare and Medicaid policies by removing federal barriers that limit APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training. By eliminating these restrictions, the bill will improve health care access, particularly in rural and underserved communities, where APRNs frequently serve as primary providers.
“The reintroduction of this bill is a critical step toward expanding health care access across the country,” said ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “By removing these dated barriers, we are empowering APRNs to provide care that they have been trained to offer—especially in rural and underserved communities where we know they are often the primary providers. The ICAN Act builds on the progress we’ve made to date, making these changes permanent so every patient can get the care they need from the provider they trust.”
According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), over 235,000 APRNs treated Medicare beneficiaries in 2021, with more than 40% of Medicare patients receiving care from an APRN. In rural areas, APRNs and physician assistants account for up to 50% of all primary care clinicians treating Medicare beneficiaries. Despite this, restrictive federal policies impede their ability to deliver necessary services such as cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, medical nutrition therapy referrals, and hospice eligibility certifications.
ANA, along with its ICAN coalition partners—the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)—are committed to advancing this legislation to ensure that APRNs can fully contribute to an improved, more accessible health care system.
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About American Nurses Association
The American Nurses Association is the only association that represents and serves as the professional home for all registered nurses in every specialty and practice setting. We believe nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare. It is our calling to champion nurses and the causes they care about by working for improved work environments, top-notch education, smarter policies, and stronger partnerships. We advocate to amplify nurses’ roles, their voices, and their value across healthcare and in society.