Committee hears bill to let physician assistants serve as treating physicians in workers’ compensation cases

HELENA — Lawmakers heard competing views on House Bill 143 on Jan. 31, a bill that would amend Montana’s workers’ compensation law to remove a geographic restriction that can prevent physician assistants from serving as the treating physician on a claim.

Sponsor Jodee Etchart, R-, told the House Business and Labor Committee the change is a ‘‘cleanup’’ to align with prior independent-practice legislation and to maintain access to care across Montana. ‘‘We don’t want patients…to travel 6 hours to get care,’’ Etchart said.

The bill’s proponents — including representatives of Montana State Fund, school self-insurance pools, the Montana Academy of PAs, the Montana Primary Care Association and organized labor — said the statutory text currently allows PAs to provide care under the act but one…