No. SB 668
Filed under Healthcare.
Physician Assistants; Providing for the registration of physician assistants to engage in practice without physician supervision; providing financial responsibility requirements for registered physician assistants; specifying activities registered physician assistants may engage in without physician supervision; requiring registered physician assistants to provide new patients with specified information either before or during the initial patient encounter, etc.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDPhysician assistants who register with the council and meet its criteria can practice medicine without a supervising physician overseeing their work, under both the medical and osteopathic practice acts.
To qualify, a PA needs an active unencumbered license, no discipline in the past 5 years, and at least 3,000 clinical practice hours in that period, plus liability insurance or a letter of credit worth $100,000 per claim.
Independently practicing PAs can admit, treat, and discharge hospital patients and handle most primary-care specialties, but they cannot perform surgery deeper than the skin or sign medical marijuana certifications.
Patients must be told in writing, before or at their first visit, that their physician assistant is practicing without a supervising physician, and PAs must renew this registration every two years.
AIA physician assistant who applies and meets the statutory criteria must be registered by the council to practice without a supervising physician; the council has no discretion to refuse a qualifying applicant.
AITo qualify for independent registration, a PA must have completed at least 3,000 clinical practice hours within the past 5 years and have no disciplinary action against them in that period.
AIA PA registered to practice without supervision must maintain professional liability insurance or an irrevocable letter of credit of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 aggregate, with narrow exceptions for government employees and a few other categories.
AIA physician assistant practicing without supervision may not perform any surgical procedure that goes deeper than the subcutaneous tissue, limiting independent practice to nonsurgical and minor procedures.
AIA registered PA may admit a patient to a health care facility, manage the patient's care there, and discharge the patient without a supervising physician's sign-off, unless federal law bars the discharge.
AIA physician assistant practicing without supervision may sign most documents a physician could, but may not issue the physician certification required for medical marijuana.
AIBefore or during the first visit, an independently practicing PA must give each new patient written information about their qualifications and the fact that no physician is supervising their care.
AIThe statutory definition of 'physician assistant' no longer says the person is licensed to perform services delegated by a supervising physician, removing that definitional link so the same term covers PAs practicing independently.