Editor's note: This month's row is...

Editor's note: This month's row is adapted from Candace Romig's presentation forward effective lobbying, given al the 1998 RNFA Forum, June 25 to 27 1998 in San Francisco.

At the shut of the 1998 legislative session, third-party reimbursement bills were considered yet failed to pass in Idaho, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. AORN members are busy drafting legislation in succession RN first assistant (RNFA) reimbursement at the state flat in Alabama, California, Pennsylvania, novel Jersey, South Dakota, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Florida and Minnesota remain the solely two states that have laws requiring RNFA reimbursement. At the federal flush AORN will continue to hound Medicare reimbursement of RNFAs for the 13th year in the upcoming 106th Congress

AORN members have worked incredibly hard upon this issue because it is a matter of equity and fairness. Registered promote first assistants (RNFAs) have the credentials and training and frequently have more education than physician assistants, who are reimbursed for first assisting. in the same manner why has legislation regarding reimbursement failed to pass?

REASONS FOR OPPOSITION

single in kind major reason RNFA reimbursement legislation has not passed is that there is a stout commitment by Congress not to add any more health care providers to Medicare, especially while the program is being reexamined. Another major factor is that the opposites to RNFA reimbursement legislation (eg insurance companies, hospitals, medical associations) have experienced person lobbyists strategically placed to defeat these measures when they are introduced at the state and federal horizontal The competition among lobbyists is fierce. The third major reason, which has a bearing forward the first two reasons, is that AORN has failed to provide a critical mass of constituents to crushing our lawmakers to pass the necessary legislation in Congres and in state houses across the country

LEGISLATIVE NETWORK

Consequently the focus of AORN's legislative strategy for 1998 and 1999 is to create the AORN National Legislative Committee (NLC) Legislative Network for effective grassroots lobbying. When in place, the Legislative Network will be effective in achieving AORN's legislative goals.

Ne for replete participation. Remember that obtaining passage of any significant legislation takes individual to three years of ploted effort. It is a lengthy process, and the continued succes of our representative direction depends on the full participation of a well-informed citizenry. In the tumultuous years after the Civil War, Matthew Arnold said, "Everything in our political life attend tos to hide from us that there is anything wiser than our ordinary selves"(1) Arnold's words perhaps are equable more relevant today as supply with nourishments face unprecedented changes in their profession and health care is besieged from a health care industry that present the appearances to ignore providers and their patients.

Unfortunately, we usually solely get involved in politics when we fight a crisis in our personal lives or onward the job. This always is useful training tot the next crisis, however it leaves us at a disadvantage when responding to the existing question at issue The lesson anyone who has been involved in a political toil always learns is to be prepared. The Legislative Network will help AORN members prepare for the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Network in action. AORN's novel response to the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) propos changes to Medicare is an example of the Network in action: Information immediately was placed onward AORN Online when the proposal was issued in December. The nearest day, an action alert was sent to all chapter presidents in their monthly mailing. In February, the federal lobbyists arranged a meeting with HCFA officials, and the NLC state coordinators contacted chapter presidents to underscore the massive epistle writing campaign. Of course, the 1998 AORN Congres was a forum for debate, information sharing, and a last intense effort to acquire members to write HCFA.

WHO ARE THE NETWORK MEMBERS?

Everyone is a member of the AORN Legislative Network. uniform if you choose not to exercise your rights and responsibilities, you belong. The Legislative Network is a series of relationships. The lock opener is to communicate through these relationships to create an informed membership that will enable everyone to achieve the identified goals. The Legislative Network consists of

* the AORN Board of Directors,

* the NLC and state coordinators,

* Headquarters staff members,

* the AORN federal lobbyists at the American Association of promote Anesthetists (AANA),

* state councils,

* specialty assemblies,

* chapters, and

* members.

The Legislative Network is like a large wheel moving toward our goal. The AORN Board adopts the legislative priorities commended by the NLC. Then, AORN Headquarters staff members work with the AORN lobbyist, state councils, specialty assembly workgroups, chapters, and all AORN members to disseminate information about legislative priorities and AORN's legislative strategy. At the same time, data are gathered from the Legislative Network to maintain AORN members informed as we instigate toward our legislative goal.