Effective Jan. 1, some PAs may no longer have to sign agreements that specify how a PA will work with their physician and identify the scope of their practice, based on their education, training and experience.
Collaboration agreements will only be required for PAs who have fewer than 8,000 hours of post-graduate clinical experience and whose place of employment does not include at least one physician doing similar work. PAs who do not meet these qualifications may seek a waiver to work without a written agreement.
PAs are still required to consult with physicians and are prohibited from practicing medicine if they are not available for consultation.
Mr. Sununu said the law is a response to PA complaints of being charged as much as $1,000 a month for an agreement that PAs say doesn’t change how they practice, according to the report. Other PAs alleged they’ve lost jobs when new physicians come to a practice and the PAs refuse to sign the agreements.
