“Senator Gatez denies NPs opportunity to improve health care”

Submitted by FNPN Member, Stan Whitaker;

July 6, 2010

Today I called in to the Burnie Thompson Show in Panama City Fl. Senator Don Gatez was the call in guest (Senator Gatez is the Senate Health Committee Chair.) I spoke to him about rising Medicaid costs in Florida and suggested that Nurse Practitioners could help hold these costs. I sited example of Tennessee, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. I asked if this was something that the legislators would consider looking at next session. His response, ABSOLUTLY NOT. He would not consider it and he gave three reasons to back his opinion. Senator Gaetz stated that there was no difference in any of these states in costs. He believes that high malpractice insurance premiums were the reason we could not get doctors to come to Florida. And lastly, he would not allow other professions to intrude into medicine. At this point I was cut off and not allowed a response. Do we allow this slight against NPs and our Profession to go unchallenged or do we accept to this obvious insult.

Please respond to the Panama City newspaper at www.newsherald.com and to Senator Gatez at his web address is gatez.don.web@flsenate.gov his Destin office phone is 850-897-5747