VNAA Supports and Applauds the 'Home Healthcare Nurse Promotion Act of 2009'

WASHINGTON, April 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Visiting Nurse Associations
of America (VNAA) applauds Representative Steve Kagen (D-WI) and
Representative Lee Terry (R-NE) for the introduction of the "Home Healthcare
Nurse Promotion Act of 2009."

"This new legislation will offer home healthcare providers that serve a
disproportionate number of uninsured and underinsured patients the opportunity
to recruit, retain and retool the specialized profession of home healthcare
nursing and improve access to high-quality care to millions of patients across
the country in need of home healthcare," stated Andy Carter, VNAA President
and CEO. "We join home healthcare agencies that serve as safety-net providers
across the country in saying thank you to Congressmen Kagen and Terry for
their commitment and understanding of the visiting nurse profession," added
Carter.

The "Home Healthcare Nurse Promotion Act of 2009" was introduced in the House
as H.R.1928 and currently has the support of Representative Leonard Boswell
(D-IA), Mary Bono-Mack (R-CA), John Yarmuth (D-KY), and Madeleine Bordallo
(Guam). If passed, this legislation will offer visiting nurse agencies (VNAs)
and other home healthcare providers the opportunity to recruit highly
specialized nurses who have expertise in geriatric care and in turn offer
newly-hired nurses student-loan forgiveness for committing two-three years of
service in a community-based home healthcare agency.

"Home healthcare agencies that primarily serve as safety-net providers play a
pivotal role in cost-effective healthcare delivery; they treat patients where
it matters most - in the home. There is no better time than now to recognize
the importance of home healthcare and to do something aggressive about
addressing the shortage of home healthcare nurses," stated Carter. "We look
forward to garnering additional support for this legislation by policymakers
in Congress," Carter added.

For more information on the proposed legislation go to: www.vnaa.org.

About VNAA
The VNAA, located at 900 19th Street, NW, Suite 200 in Washington, D.C., is
the official national association for nonprofit, community-based Visiting
Nurse Agencies (VNAs) and nonprofit home health providers, who care for and
treat approximately 4 million patients each year. The nation's network of
VNAs share a nonprofit mission to provide cost-effective and compassionate
home healthcare to some of the nation's most vulnerable individuals,
particularly the elderly and individuals with disabilities. The VNAA has a
wide range of resources available on its website. Visit www.vnaa.org to
locate a VNA near you.

SOURCE Visiting Nurse Associations of America

Donna Grande of Visiting Nurse Associations of America, +1-202-384-1429,
dgrande@vnaa.org