This week at the Capitol, the Senate passed Senate Bill 1240 (SB1240), which is legislation aimed to further Idaho’s commitment to reducing unnecessary regulation and improving the access and quality in health care for all Idahoans. There are a number of rural communities in Idaho which depend solely on the care of nurse practitioners for their primary health care needs. In 2004, Idaho was the first state in the nation to remove physician oversight and authorize nurse practitioners the ability to practice independently. Since this time, the number of nurse practitioners in Idaho has grown steadily.

In the Gem State, 1,700 nurse practitioners makes up 40 percent of the total primary care providers, offering high-quality and cost-effective health care throughout Idaho. Floor sponsor Senator Mary Souza stated, “This bill will aid in meeting the demands of our growing population and primary care provider shortage while improving access to health care for Idahoans.” SB1240 eliminates barriers for nurse practitioners to assist their patients in completing necessary routine health care paperwork without requiring a physician’s signature. Click here
for more information on SB1240.