Research shows that expanding autonomy for Nurse Practitioners is an effective means of decreasing these costs while simultaneously enabling access to preventive and primary care. Check out the Nursing@Simmons infographic to which states spend more on health care.
Nursing Content
Massachusetts is one of only 12 states that places significant restrictions on practice, requiring NPs to be supervised by a physician to develop treatment plans and prescribe medications. However, the state is making strides toward expanding the role of Nurse Practitioners, particularly in an effort to curb the growth of MassHealth spending, which accounted for two-thirds of statewide expenditures between 2013 and 2014 according to the 2015 Health Policy Commission report.