S. 575 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Feb 13, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands nurse roles in Medicare and Medicaid
This bill allows nurses and other healthcare providers to handle certain tasks that doctors currently do under Medicare and Medicaid, the government health programs for older adults and low-income people. Specifically, it lets nurse practitioners and physician assistants approve special diabetic shoes, speeds up their ability to oversee heart and lung rehabilitation programs, and allows nurse practitioners to certify when patients need hospital care.
How it affects you
If you're on Medicare or Medicaid and need care like diabetic shoe coverage, cardiac rehabilitation, or hospital admission, you may be able to get approval from a nurse practitioner or physician assistant instead of waiting for a doctor. This could mean faster access to these services in some cases. Healthcare providers in these fields would have clearer authority to do work they're already trained for.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Feb 13, 2025)
Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act or the I CAN Act
This bill allows other health care providers besides physicians (e.g., nurses) to provide certain services under Medicare and Medicaid.
Among other changes, the bill (1) allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for Medicare coverage of special shoes for diabetic individuals; (2) expedites the ability of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise Medicare cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs; and (3) allows nurse practitioners to certify the need for inpatient hospital services under Medicare and Medicaid.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 575
A BILL
I CAN Act
Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) · Introduced Feb 13, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Feb 13, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.”
Sections
Sections · 1
Title I — Removal of Barriers to Practice on Nurse Practitioners · 8
- Sec. 101Expanding access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare programNo change
- Sec. 102Permitting nurse practitioners and physician assistants to satisfy Medicare documentation requirement for coverage of certain shoes for individuals with diabetesNo change
- Sec. 103Improvements to the assignment of beneficiaries under the Medicare shared savings programNo change
- Sec. 104Expanding the availability of medical nutrition therapy service Medicare programNo change
- Sec. 105Preserving access to home infusion therapyNo change
- Sec. 106Increasing access to hospice care servicesNo change
- Sec. 107Streamlining care delivery in skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities; authorizing Medicare and Medicaid inpatient hospital patients to be under the care of a nurse practitionerNo change
- Sec. 108Improving access to Medicaid clinic servicesNo change
Title II — Removal of Barriers to Practice on Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists · 5
- Sec. 201Clarifying that certified registered nurse anesthetists can be reimbursed by Medicare for evaluation and management servicesNo change
- Sec. 202Revision of conditions of payment relating to services ordered and referred by certified registered nurse anesthetistsNo change
- Sec. 203Special payment rule for teaching student registered nurse anesthetistsNo change
- Sec. 204Removing unnecessary and costly supervision of certified registered nurse anesthetistsNo change
- Sec. 205CRNA services as a Medicaid-required benefitNo change
Title III — Removal of Barriers to Practice on Certified Nurse-Midwives · 4
- Sec. 301Improving access to training in maternity careNo change
- Sec. 302Improving Medicare patient access to home health services provided by certified nurse-midwivesNo change
- Sec. 303Improving access to DMEPOS for Medicare beneficiariesNo change
- Sec. 304Technical changes to qualifications and conditions with respect to the services of certified nurse-midwivesNo change