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This bill modifies several provisions relating to assistant physicians.
The bill adjusts the definition of "assistant physician" by expanding the eligibility to persons who have completed step 2 or 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The bill also repeals certain provisions governing the conditions of the three-year period preceding the application for licensure as an assistant physician that included graduation from a medical or osteopathic medical college, as well as whether the person was serving as a resident physician.
This bill also adds to the definition of an "assistant physician collaborative practice arrangement" to include such arrangements occurring in a federally qualified health center, as well as providing that the provisions limiting the assistant physician within the collaborative practice arrangement do not apply to those receiving postgraduate training under an authorized preceptor, as provided in the bill.
Current law requires health benefit plans or carriers to reimburse assistant physicians for services on the same basis as reimbursement for comparable mid-level health care providers, including physician assistants. This bill adds certified nurse practitioners to this provision.
The bill also designates the Department of Commerce and Insurance as the entity enforcing the above provisions of this bill.
The bill additionally provides two pathways for an assistant physician with a license in good standing to become a licensed physician.
The first pathway renders an assistant physician eligible if he or she has an active license without any disciplinary actions, has completed Step 3 of the USMLE or the equivalent, has completed 60 months of cumulative, full-time, hands-on active collaborative practice, which includes bimonthly didactic training reports to the collaborative physician, has completed the postgraduate training under a preceptor specified in the bill, has completed at least 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years, and has submitted to the board letters of recommendation from certain physicians. The second pathway renders an assistant physician eligible if he or she has completed Step 3 of the USMLE, has completed sixty months of cumulative, full-time, hands-on, active collaborative practice, completed at least 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years, and has submitted to the board letters of recommendation from the physician who has served as the collaborating physician in the collaborative practice arrangement and one other licensed physician in good standing in this State.
The provisions of the second pathway expire on August 28, 2030.
This bill is similar to HB 757 (2023).
Statutes affected: