Nurse Practitioners Win Points in the Senate

More nurse practitioners will be allowed to apply for the right to dispense prescription drugs if a bill that unanimously passed through the Oregon Senate makes it to the Governor's desk for final approval. Senator Alan Bates, a practicing physician, voted "aye" but with some apprehension. He thinks it will improve the affordability and accessibility of health care overall; but he doesn't care for one of the bill's biggest supporters: Zoom Care.  Zoom Care, he says, is hurting the health care system by only serving middle- and high-income patients who can pay with cash and refuse Medicare and Medicaid patients.  Nurse practitioners would be required to complete additional training and apply for a permit through the Board of Nursing before they could provide medications to patients.  The Bill moves to the House.