(June 26, 2008) Washington, D.C. – The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners honored Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) for being an “esteemed friend of nurse practitioners and their patients.”  A member of the Appropriations Health Subcommittee, the academy commended the congresswoman for championing the effort to restore federal funding for Advanced Education Nursing Grants, which fund nurse practitioner education.  Nurse practitioners from throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles, presented the plaque to the congresswoman.  In addition, the group briefed the congresswoman on the Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act, which would allow nurse practitioners in all states to serve as primary care case managers under the Medicaid fee-for-service program.  The designation allows them to provide a more integral role in a patient’s health care management.