Committee hears bipartisan support for updating PA licensure to allow collaborative practice
Loading...
Summary
House Bill 2,702 would modernize physician assistant licensure language to emphasize collaborative practice agreements, authorize fingerprinting for PA licensure compact compliance, and allow experienced PAs optional transition to collaborative practice after 4,000 hours; proponents emphasized continuity of care and reduced administrative burden.
The House Health and Human Services Committee reviewed House Bill 2,702, a comprehensive update to the Physician Assistant Licensure Act that would establish collaborative practice terminology, add criminal-history fingerprinting authority for certain applicants, and clarify the conditions under which physician assistants (PAs) may practice with varying levels of physician supervision.
Kirsten Stevens, representing the Kansas Academy of Physician Associates, told the committee the legislation is intended to reflect modern team-based health-care delivery and is not a scope-of-practice bill. "This legislation does not expand or restrict scope of practice for PAs," Stevens said, describing the bill as an effort to reduce administrative burden — including removing the requirement that the board approve every individual supervising physician — and to allow an optional transition to collaborative practice for PAs with at least 4,000 hours of postgraduate clinical experience.
Stevens emphasized provisions designed to preserve continuity of care in rural and underserved settings: a PA in a collaborative agreement could continue to provide patient care for up to 180 days after the loss of a collaborative physician, with possible one-time board extensions. Additional provisions in the draft define collaboration, allow for practice agreements developed by physician groups or facilities, and maintain board oversight.
Rochelle Colombo of the Kansas Medical Society expressed support for HB 2,702 and for the collaborative development process that produced the draft. Susan Guile, executive director of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, provided neutral testimony and said a follow-up conversation with the proponents alleviated several concerns about terminology and the distinctions among collaboration, practice agreements and supervision.
The committee closed the hearing on HB 2,702 without taking final action; proponents asked two small clarifying amendments they say would improve statutory clarity if the bill advances.
