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State implementer bill adds physician assistants to MOLST eligibility, council told
Summary
Advisory council members were told SB1 (implementer bill) included a digital-first MOLST update and statutory language allowing physician assistants to determine MOLST eligibility; DPH staff said policy, form and training updates will follow and that final statutory text will be circulated.
Barbara Cass, senior advisor to Commissioner Jatani for long-term care, told the MOLST Advisory Council that legislation to support a digital-first MOLST form passed as part of the governor's implementer bill and that the language explicitly allows physician assistants to determine whether an individual meets MOLST eligibility criteria. "PAs are essential and critical to the palliative care end-of-life care team," Cass said.
The change was inserted in SB1, the budget implementer, and council staff said they will circulate the exact statutory language to members. Malia, who led the rollout preview, said the statutory change lets the Department of Public Health move policies and procedures through an expedited internal review process and proceed with website and form updates.
Council members welcomed the expansion. Several speakers noted the legislation also included clarifying language restoring a reference protecting services provided by the Department of Developmental Services. Staff committed to sending the bill language and to confirm the effective date: "We'll send out the language," a staff member said.
The council did not act formally on the statute at the meeting; next steps described by DPH staff include posting the updated form to the new website, publishing policies and procedures after internal review, and continuing longer-term modernization work in a later “3.0” pathway. Staff also said they would follow up with legal guidance for areas that require additional regulatory work, including DNR-related language and any required training adjustments.
The advisory council will receive the circulated statutory language and additional implementation details by email, and staff asked members for timely feedback on draft website and guidance pages.
