It is imperative we lower barriers for NPs to practice in Virginia. The public and professional sector have made it clear they value NPs as healthcare providers. Further barriers would clearly be a result of territorial and hierarchical posturing by the power of the medical society, with whom the Governor shows allegiance. Politics should not supersede the healthcare needs of the citizens of Virginia. Virginia has some of the richest counties in the nation near DC, and some of the most economically desperate in the southwestern areas. In spite of the rich counties, we still rely on charity mobile clinics to provide care in southwest Virginia. At this point, the current system and physician distribution are not working for most of the state. And yet, the medical society of Virginia wants to keep making decisions about how healthcare is to be delivered while they continue to fail the citizens. I am sure many physicians and politicians will make an appearance at the Wise County RAM clinic in July and have a "feel good" moment and positive press. In the meantime, NPs will diligently continue to provide healthcare in the medically underserved areas, as they do each and every day of the year. Now is not the time to compromise, now is the time to do what is right and break down those barriers. Just ask any patient of an NP.