NPs in Kentucky can now prescribe prescription drugs independently. In mid-July a new law took effect allowing Kentucky NPs who've already completed a four-year collaboration with a physician to prescribe drugs such as antibiotics, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants. The law also set up a committee to find physicians willing to work with NPs to fulfill the four-year collaboration requirement. The state already had a dearth of primary care practitioners, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the aging of the existing physician pool have made the situation worse. The new law helps to increase access to primary care for the large number of Kentuckians who signed up for Medicaid coverage under the ACA.