HB 1222 is a legislative bill that revises the collaboration requirements for physician assistants (PAs) in New Hampshire and sets up a committee to study PA scope of practice. The bill modifies the definition of "collaboration" to mean a PA's consultation with or referral to the appropriate member of the health care team, rather than specifically to a physician or other health care professional. It also redefines "participating physician" to include any physician who collaborates with or enters into a collaboration agreement with a PA. The bill exempts PAs licensed in other states or countries and employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from New Hampshire state licensure laws, as long as they act within the scope of their employment and maintain a current license in good standing. PAs with less than 8,000 hours of post-graduate clinical practice must have a written collaboration agreement with a licensed New Hampshire physician, while those with more than 8,000 hours can apply for a waiver from this requirement. The board of medicine is tasked with adopting rules for the waiver process, and these changes will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Furthermore, the bill mandates the creation of a study committee to investigate the optimization of PA utilization in New Hampshire's healthcare system. This committee will explore various aspects of PA practice, including laws and regulations governing collaboration, strategies to address provider shortages, and the potential for revisions to statutes and regulations. The committee will consist of members from the House of Representatives, the Senate, and various healthcare organizations. It is tasked with comparing state laws, examining patient safety in states with more relaxed collaboration agreements, and addressing misconceptions about the PA role. The committee must submit a report with its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2024. While Section 6 of the act will take effect on January 1, 2027, the rest of the act became effective on July 26, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 328-D:1, 328-D:3-b, 328-D:12
As Amended by the House: 328-D:1, 328-D:2-a, 328-D:3-b
As Amended by the Senate: 328-D:1, 328-D:2-a, 328-D:3-b
Version adopted by both bodies: 328-D:1, 328-D:2-a, 328-D:3-b
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 328-D:1, 328-D:2-a, 328-D:3-b