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The filing of the lawsuit comes just a day before hundreds of nurse practitioners will converge on the state capitol to demand a law change they say will lower health care costs.

The nurses have been battling the state’s medical association for more than 15 years over the authority to prescribe controlled drugs. Stan Whittaker has been a nurse practitioner for more than 20 years. He says giving Nurse Practitioners the right to prescribe controlled drugs will provide better patient care at a lower cost.

“I think this is increasing the cost tremendously,” Whitaker said. “It can really affect the overall cost, just in Medicaid, in healthcare, in insurance. We’ll be able to just write that one prescription.”

Only Florida and Alabama prohibit Nurse Practitioners from prescribing controlled drugs.