PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2869, 3014 PRINTER'S NO. 3224
No. 1999 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY SEIP, J. EVANS, BENNINGTON, CALTAGIRONE, CASORIO, HARHAI, JOSEPHS, KULA, MAHONEY, McCALL, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, PETRARCA, SOLOBAY, WALKO, WATERS, YOUNGBLOOD, HARKINS, SONNEY, CIVERA, HORNAMAN, MACKERETH, MILLARD, KILLION, HELM, K. SMITH, PETRONE, FABRIZIO AND PASHINSKI, NOVEMBER 19, 2007
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FEBRUARY 11, 2008
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), 2 entitled "An act relating to the right to practice medicine 3 and surgery and the right to practice medically related acts; 4 reestablishing the State Board of Medical Education and 5 Licensure as the State Board of Medicine and providing for 6 its composition, powers and duties; providing for the 7 issuance of licenses and certificates and the suspension and 8 revocation of licenses and certificates; providing penalties; 9 and making repeals," further providing for physician 10 assistants and for respiratory care practitioners. 11 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 12 hereby enacts as follows: 13 Section 1. Section 13 of the act of December 20, 1985 14 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985, is 15 amended by adding subsections to read: 16 Section 13. Physician assistants. 17 * * * 18 (c.1) Except as limited by subsection (c.2), and in addition 19 to existing authority, a physician assistant shall have 20 authority to do all of the following, provided that the
1 physician assistant is acting within the supervision and 2 direction of the supervising physician: 3 (1) Order home health and hospice care. <-- 4 (2) (1) Order durable medical equipment. <-- 5 (3) (2) Issue oral orders to the extent permitted by a <-- 6 health care facility's bylaws, rules, regulations or 7 administrative policies and guidelines. 8 (4) (3) Order physical therapy and dietitian referrals. <-- 9 (5) (4) Order respiratory and occupational therapy <-- 10 referrals. 11 (6) (5) Perform disability assessments for the program <-- 12 providing Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). 13 (7) (6) Issue homebound schooling certifications. <-- 14 (8) (7) Perform and sign the initial assessment of methadone <-- 15 treatment evaluations, provided that any order for methadone 16 treatment shall be made only by a physician. 17 (c.2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to: 18 (1) Supersede the authority of the Department of Health and 19 the Department of Public Welfare to regulate the types of health 20 care professionals who are eligible for medical staff membership 21 or clinical privileges. 22 (2) Restrict the authority of a health care facility to 23 determine the scope of practice and supervision or other 24 oversight requirements for health care professionals practicing 25 within the facility. 26 * * * 27 Section 2. Section 13.1(d) of the act, added July 2, 1993 28 (P.L.424, No.60), is amended to read: 29 Section 13.1. Respiratory care practitioners. 30 * * * 20070H1999B3224 - 2 -
1 (d) Supervision and scope of practice.--A respiratory care 2 practitioner certified by the board may implement direct 3 respiratory care to an individual being treated by either a 4 licensed medical doctor or a licensed doctor of osteopathic 5 medicine, upon [physician] prescription or referral by a 6 physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician 7 assistant, or under medical direction and approval consistent 8 with standing orders or protocols of an institution or health 9 care facility. This care may constitute indirect services such 10 as consultation or evaluation of an individual and also 11 includes, but is not limited to, the following services: 12 (1) Administration of medical gases. 13 (2) Humidity and aerosol therapy. 14 (3) Administration of aerosolized medications. 15 (4) Intermittent positive pressure breathing. 16 (5) Incentive spirometry. 17 (6) Bronchopulmonary hygiene. 18 (7) Management and maintenance of natural airways. 19 (8) Maintenance and insertion of artificial airways. 20 (9) Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. 21 (10) Management and maintenance of mechanical 22 ventilation. 23 (11) Measurement of ventilatory flows, volumes and 24 pressures. 25 (12) Analysis of ventilatory gases and blood gases. 26 * * * 27 Section 3. Section 36 of the act, amended December 9, 2002 28 (P.L.1344, No.160), is amended to read: 29 Section 36. Physician assistant license. 30 (a) General rule.--A physician assistant license empowers 20070H1999B3224 - 3 -
1 the holder to assist a medical doctor in the provision of 2 medical care and services under the supervision and direction of 3 that medical doctor as provided in this act. 4 (b) Requirements.--No physician assistant license may be 5 issued to the applicant unless the requirements set forth by 6 this act and such rules and regulations issued by the board are 7 met, including requirements for the physician assistant training 8 and educational programs which shall be formulated by the board 9 in accordance with such national criteria as are established by 10 national organizations or societies as the board may accept. 11 (c) Criteria.--The board shall grant physician assistant 12 licenses to applicants who have fulfilled the following 13 criteria: 14 (1) Satisfactory performance on the proficiency 15 examination to the extent that a proficiency examination 16 exists. 17 (2) Satisfactory completion of a certified program for 18 the training and education of physician assistants. 19 (3) For candidates for initial licensure after January 20 1, 2004, obtainment of a baccalaureate or higher degree from 21 a college or university and completion of not less than 60 22 clock hours of didactic instruction in pharmacology or other 23 related courses as the board may approve by regulation. 24 (d) Biennial renewal.--A physician assistant license shall 25 be subject to biennial renewal by the board. As part of biennial 26 renewal, a physician assistant shall complete continuing medical 27 education as required by the National Commission on 28 Certification of Physician Assistants. 29 (e) Description of manner of assistance.--The application 30 shall include a written request from the applicant's supervising 20070H1999B3224 - 4 -
1 medical doctor who shall file with the board a description of 2 the manner in which the physician assistant will assist the 3 supervising medical doctor, which description shall be subject 4 to the approval of the board. 5 (f) Liability provision.-- 6 (1) A physician assistant licensed in this Commonwealth 7 shall maintain a level of professional liability insurance 8 coverage as required for a nonparticipating health care 9 provider under the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), 10 known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error 11 (Mcare) Act, but shall not be eligible to participate in the 12 Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) 13 Fund. 14 (2) The board shall accept from a licensed physician 15 assistant as satisfactory evidence of insurance coverage any 16 of the following: 17 (i) Self-insurance. 18 (ii) Personally purchased liability insurance. 19 (iii) Professional liability insurance coverage 20 provided by the licensee's employer. 21 (iv) Similar insurance coverage acceptable to the 22 board. 23 (3) A licensed physician assistant need not be 24 separately insured if the licensee's employer is a health 25 care provider as defined by the Medical Care Availability and 26 Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act that maintains insurance as 27 required by the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of 28 Error (Mcare) Act or whose employer is not a health care 29 provider as defined by the Medical Care Availability and 30 Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, but who maintains insurance 20070H1999B3224 - 5 -
1 at the level required of a nonparticipating health care 2 provider under the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of 3 Error (Mcare) Act. 4 Section 4. The State Board of Medicine, the Department of 5 Public Welfare and the Department of Health shall promulgate 6 regulations to implement the addition of section 13(c.1) and 7 (c.2) of the act within 18 months of the effective date of this 8 section. 9 Section 5. The following acts are repealed insofar as they 10 are inconsistent with the addition of section 13(c.1) and (c.2) 11 of the act: 12 (1) Section 9(a) of the act of October 10, 1975 13 (P.L.383, No.110), known as the Physical Therapy Practice 14 Act. 15 (2) Section 14 of the act of June 15, 1982 (P.L.502, 16 No.140), known as the Occupational Therapy Practice Act. 17 Section 6. This act shall take effect in 60 days. J29L63BIL/20070H1999B3224 - 6 -