THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY VANCE, BROWNE, EARLL, GREENLEAF, RAFFERTY, PILEGGI, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, WAUGH, COSTA, YUDICHAK, WASHINGTON AND FERLO, MARCH 4, 2011

REFERRED TO BANKING AND INSURANCE, MARCH 4, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending the act of December 19, 1986 (P.L.1737, No.209),

entitled "An act providing for reimbursement by insurance

companies, professional health service plan corporations,

fraternal benefit societies and voluntary nonprofit health

service plans for service performed by a registered nurse;

and providing further duties of the Insurance Department,"

adding a definition of "registered nurse first assistant";

and further providing for scope of coverage.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 2 of the act of December 19, 1986

(P.L.1737, No.209), known as the Insurance Payment to Registered

Nurse Law, is amended by adding a definition to read:

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Registered nurse first assistant."  A person who:

(1)  is licensed as a registered nurse in accordance with

the laws of this Commonwealth;

(2)  holds an active certification in a Certified Nurse

Operating Room (CNOR) program that is annually reviewed and

deemed acceptable by the Competency and Credentialing

Institute or any other CNOR certification program that is

accredited by the National Commission for Certifying

Agencies; and

(3)  has successfully completed a Registered Nurse First

Assistant (RNFA) program that is one academic year in length

and which is annually reviewed and deemed acceptable by the

Competency and Credentialing Institute or any other RNFA

program that is accredited by the National Commission for

Certifying Agencies.

Section 2.  Section 4(a) of the act is amended to read:

Section 4.  Scope of coverage.

(a)  General rule.--When a service is performed by a

registered nurse first assistant, certified registered nurse

anesthetist, certified registered nurse practitioner, certified

enterostomal therapy nurse, certified community health nurse,

certified psychiatric mental health nurse or certified clinical

nurse specialist, certified by the State Board of Nursing or a

national nursing organization recognized by the State Board of

Nursing and lawfully permitted to perform that service under the

act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), known as The Professional

Nursing Law, and a policy, contract or certificate provides for

reimbursement for that service, the insured or any other person

covered shall be entitled to reimbursement either to the insured

or to the registered professional nurse providing that service.

This section does not apply to registered professional nurses

who are employees of health care facilities as the term "health

care facilities" is defined in the act of July 19, 1979

(P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act, or

anesthesiology groups.

* * *

Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.