BILL NUMBER: S9038A
SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law and the public health law, in relation
to amending physician assistant practice standards; and providing for
the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To modernize physician assistant practice standards.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends § 6542 of the education law by adding language to allow
physicians to supervise no more than six physician assistants in such
physician's private practice at one time; and further allows physicians
with a practice for the department of corrections and community service
to supervise no more than eight physician assistants at one time.
Section one also authorizes physician assistants to prescribe and order
a non-patient specific regimen to a registered professional nurse.
§ 2 of the bill amends subdivisions 1 of § 3702 of the public health law
to allow physician assistants to issue inpatient medical orders for
durable medical equipment.
§ 3 of the bill amends subdivision 5 of § 6810 of the education law by
striking "doctor's" and replacing with "prescriber's" name for
prescription records.
§ 4 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In the fifty years since New York State established the profession and
practice of physician assistants, the enabling statutory language has
remained largely stagnant while the health care delivery system has
changed considerably. Currently, New Yorkers face significant barriers
to health care that largely stem from a shortage of health care profes-
sionals able to serve the needs of our communities. By modernizing prac-
tice guidelines for PAs, this bill will increase the number of providers
available to treat patients, expanding access to quality care across the
state.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATION:
Savings to be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Three months after it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S9038: 3701 public health law, 3701(1) public health law, 3703 public health law, 902 education law, 902(2) education law, 6810 education law, 6810(5) education law, 3302 public health law, 3302(27) public health law
S9038A: 3702 public health law, 3702(1) public health law, 6810 education law, 6810(5) education law