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2006 Legislative Session Report
Christopher L. Nuland
Chapter General Counsel
April 21, 2006

Although scores of bills continue to be debated in the Session's final weeks, the highlight this week was undoubtedly the advancement of HB 699, the Physician Extender Supervision Bill. The Bill has passed the House and is, as of this writing, on Special Order in the Senate.

While this Bill truly reins in the uncontrolled expansion of unsupervised satellite offices, it accomplishes much, much more. Many of the Bill's provisions are wonderful responses to issues we have advocated for many years.

For instance, the Bill:

  1. Reduces the Domestic Violence Mandate to once every three licensing cycles;
  2. Reduces the HIV CME mandate to once, before one's first license renewal;
  3. Requires ARNP protocols to be available for public inspection on the nurse's profile.
  4. Subject to several exceptions, limits the unsupervised practice of ARNPs and PAs in satellite offices to:
    a. 4 such satellites for primary care physicians;
    b. 2 such satellites for specialists;
    c. 2 such satellites if the services are "primarily" skin care, and only 1 as of 2011.

"Skin care", satellites must be supervised by a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist.

5. Requires the disclosure of the physician's licensure, and that of any treating health care provider working under the physician's supervision, when the patient is referred to the physician's office. In such instances, the patient must be given the opportunity to see the physician (take a bow, Dr. Craig Kitchens).

Other work remains to be done, but passage of this Bill would be a huge victory for Medicine!

I thank each and every one of you for contributing in your own ways to the success of this legislative session.

Page updated: 4/21/06