Q:  When does the legislation become effective?

A:   Senate Bill 154 becomes effective 90 days after the Governor signs the legislation (mid May 2006).

Q:    Will the physicians be required to resubmit physician supervisory plans (formerly the physician assistant utilization plan)?

A:     No. The Bill provides that any physician who currently has an approved physician assistant utilization plan will not have to reapply for a physician supervisory plan.

Q:   When can PA’s treat patients new to the practice without seeing the physician first, and treat existing patients with new conditions?

A:    When the Bill becomes effective (mid May 2006)

Q:   When will the provisional prescriptive authority applications be available to physician assistants?

A:    The legislation requires that the Board adopt rules to regulate this process.  This involves a two part process that could take up to 1 year from the effective date of the legislation.  First, the PAPC has up to 6 months from the effective date to make initial recommendations to the Board regarding physician delegated prescriptive authority.  Then the Board, after receiving the initial recommendations, has up to 6 months to adopt rules for physician delegated prescriptive authority and issuance of certificates to prescribe.

Q:   What Master’s degree programs will be acceptable in order to be eligible to apply for provisional prescriptive authority?

A:  Senate Bill 154 requires the Masters program must be accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the State Medical Board, or hold a master’s degree or higher degree in a course of study with clinical relevance to the practice of physician assistants that was obtained from a program accredited by a regional or specialized and professional accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.  The Physician Assistant Policy Committee (PAPC) is gathering information as to what programs are available, and may propose rules to further define the meaning of the term “course of study with clinical relevance”.

Q:   Are there any fee changes?

A:    Yes. Effective mid May 2006 the new fees are: The physician assistant certificate to practice (formerly the physician assistant registration application) will increase to $200.00. The renewal of a physician assistant certificate to practice will increase to $100.00.  The physician assistant supervision agreement fee will remain $25.00 per supervision agreement. The affidavit of supervising physician fee that was previously associated with the utilization plan will no longer apply.  The fee for application for provisional and full prescriptive authority is $100.00, and the renewal fee for prescriptive authority is $50.00

Q.    Where can I obtain a copy of this legislation?

A.     The internet link for the new physician assistant legislation is

         ..\pdf\PA_legislation effective_5-06.pdf