The early 2024 state legislative cycle sees states across the country introducing legislation ranging from scope of practice to telemedicine.
Scope of Practice
Indiana
would remove the requirement that an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) have a practice agreement with a collaborating physician. This bill would also remove the provision that requires an APRN to operate under a collaborative practice agreement or the privileges granted by a hospital governing board.
Missouri
would remove the requirement for geographic proximity in collaborative practice arrangements between physicians and registered professional nurses (RNs).
Nebraska
would enjoin the state of Nebraska into the physician assistance (PA) licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet its eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.
New Hampshire
would enjoin the state of New Hampshire into the PA licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet its eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.
would allow an individual, who has not completed at least two years of postgraduate training approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, but has completed steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, to practice as a “deputy physician.” A deputy physician would be considered a PA for purposes of regulations of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and would be allowed to enter collaborative practice arrangements with a physician.
New York
would allow licensed NPs and licensed PAs to directly supervise the intravascular administration of contrast media by a radiographer.
would allow the New York Department of Health to issue limited-scope radiographer licenses to individuals who have received relevant education and passed a requisite exam. This limited-scope license would allow the holder to practice radiography at urgent care centers under the direct supervision of a licensed practitioner. Limited-scope radiographers would not be allowed to inject intravenous contrast media.
would enjoin the state of New York into the interstate medical licensure compact and the nurse licensure compact. The interstate medical licensure compact allows physicians who meet the compact’s eligibility requirements to practice medicine in other compact states.
would allow a PA to use fluoroscopy for guidance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures if the PA completed an educational program consisting of 40 hours of didactic and 40 hours of clinical training and has completed a competency exam.
Virginia
would enjoin the state of Virginia into the PA licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet its eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.
Licensure
Rhode Island
would repeal the boards' registration of medical technicians and medical imaging and radiation therapy.
Out-of-Network / Surprise / Balance Billing Bills
New York
would direct the New York (NY) State Department of Civil Service to collect and analyze health care claims data from the Empire Plan (NY health insurance plan exclusively for NY public employees and employers) and publish a New York state health benefit plan hospital pricing report annually. Such a report would include, but not be limited to, a comparative analysis of actual hospital in-network allowed amounts and out-of-network allowed amounts for each hospital facility.
and would require notification to insured persons that an out-of-network physician may be used in their procedure, test or surgery, and such physician's services shall not be covered by their insurance policy. However, such services must be covered if the insured person does not receive notification before such services or procedure.
Telemedicine/Teleradiology
Missouri
would make the following changes regarding telemedicine in the state of Missouri:
- All physicians in Missouri that utilize telemedicine would be required to ensure that a properly established physician-patient relationship exists with the person who receives the telemedicine services. This could be accomplished by an in-person encounter, consultation with another physician or a telemedicine encounter, if the standard of care does not require an in-person encounter.
- Before a physician could prescribe any drug, controlled substance or other treatment through telemedicine, said physician would have to establish a valid physician-patient relationship.
The 新澳门六合彩官网® (新澳门六合彩官网®) has partnered with Fiscal Note, a legislation and regulation tracking service, to provide continuous, comprehensive updates on radiology and healthcare-related legislation. To stay current on state legislative developments relevant to radiology, view the 新澳门六合彩官网 policy map.
For more information about state legislative activities, contact Eugenia Brandt, 新澳门六合彩官网 Senior Government Affairs Director, or Dillon Harp, 新澳门六合彩官网 Senior Government Relations Specialist.