1058S.04F
SENATE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 315
AN ACT
To repeal sections 334.040, 334.715, 334.735, 335.066, 338.150, 338.220, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof ten new sections relating to health care services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:
Section A. Sections 334.040, 334.715, 334.735, 335.066, 338.150, and 338.220, RSMo, are repealed and ten new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 334.040, 334.715, 334.735, 335.066, 335.175, 338.150, 338.200, 338.220, 376.1226, and 376.1237, to read as follows:
334.040. 1. Except as provided in section 334.260, all persons desiring to practice as physicians and surgeons in this state shall be examined as to their fitness to engage in such practice by the board. All persons applying for examination shall file a completed application with the board upon forms furnished by the board.
2. The examination shall be sufficient to test the applicant's fitness to practice as a physician and surgeon. The examination shall be conducted in such a manner as to conceal the identity of the applicant until all examinations have been scored. In all such examinations an average score of not less than seventy-five percent is required to pass; provided, however, that the board may require applicants to take the Federation Licensing Examination, also known as FLEX, or the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). If the FLEX examination is required, a weighted average score of no less than seventy-five is required to pass. Scores from one test administration of the FLEX shall not be combined or averaged with scores from other test administrations to achieve a passing score. The passing score of the United States Medical Licensing Examination shall be determined by the board through rule and regulation. Applicants graduating from a medical or osteopathic college, as defined in section 334.031 prior to January 1, 1994, shall provide proof of successful completion of the FLEX, USMLE, an exam administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), a state board examination approved by the board, compliance with subsection 2 of section 334.031, or compliance with 20 CSR 2150-2005. Applicants graduating from a medical or osteopathic college, as defined in section 334.031 on or after January 1, 1994, must provide proof of completion of the USMLE or an exam administered by NBOME or provide proof of compliance with subsection 2 of section 334.031. The board shall not issue a permanent license as a physician and surgeon or allow the Missouri state board examination to be administered to any applicant who has failed to achieve a passing score within three attempts on licensing examinations administered in one or more states or territories of the United States, the District of Columbia or Canada. The steps one, two and three of the United States Medical Licensing Examination shall be taken within a seven-year period with no more than three attempts on any step of the examination; however, the board may grant an extension of the seven-year period if the applicant has obtained a MD/PhD degree in a program accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and a regional university accrediting body or a DO/PhD degree accredited by the American Osteopathic Association and a regional university accrediting body. The board may waive the provisions of this section if the applicant is licensed to practice as a physician and surgeon in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia or Canada and the applicant has achieved a passing score on a licensing examination administered in a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia and no license issued to the applicant has been disciplined in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia and the applicant is certified in the applicant's area of specialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Osteopathic Association, or other certifying agency approved by the board by rule.
3. If the board waives the provisions of this section, then the license issued to the applicant may be limited or restricted to the applicant's board specialty. The board shall not be permitted to favor any particular school or system of healing.
4. If an applicant has not actively engaged in the practice of clinical medicine or held a teaching or faculty position in a medical or osteopathic school approved by the American Medical Association, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, or the American Osteopathic Association for any two years in the three-year period immediately preceding the filing of his or her application for licensure, the board may require successful completion of another examination, continuing medical education, or further training before issuing a permanent license. The board shall adopt rules to prescribe the form and manner of such reexamination, continuing medical education, and training.
334.715. 1. The board may refuse to issue or renew any license required under sections 334.700 to 334.725 for one or any combination of causes listed in subsection 2 of this section or any cause listed in section 334.100. The board shall notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal and shall advise the applicant of the applicant's right to file a complaint with the administrative hearing commission as provided in chapter 621. As an alternative to a refusal to issue or renew any certificate, registration, or authority, the board may, in its discretion, issue a license which is subject to reprimand, probation, restriction, or limitation to an applicant for licensure for any one or any combination of causes listed in subsection 2 of this section or section 334.100. The board's order of reprimand, probation, limitation, or restriction shall contain a statement of the discipline imposed, the basis therefor, the date such action shall become effective, and a statement that the applicant has thirty days to request in writing a hearing before the administrative hearing commission. If the board issues a probationary, limited, or restricted license to an applicant for licensure, either party may file a written petition with the administrative hearing commission within thirty days of the effective date of the probationary, limited, or restricted license seeking review of the board's determination. If no written request for a hearing is received by the administrative hearing commission within the thirty-day period, the right to seek review of the board's decision shall be considered waived.
2. The board may cause a complaint to be filed with the administrative hearing commission as provided in chapter 621 against any holder of a certificate of registration or authority, permit, or license required by sections 334.700 to 334.725 or any person who has failed to renew or has surrendered the person's certification of registration or license for any one or any combination of the following causes:
(1) Violated or conspired to violate any provision of sections 334.700 to 334.725 or any provision of any rule promulgated pursuant to sections 334.700 to 334.725; or
(2) Has been found guilty of unethical conduct as defined in the ethical standards of the National Athletic Trainers Association or the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification, or its successor agency, as adopted and published by the committee and the board and filed with the secretary of state; or
(3) Any cause listed in section 334.100.
3. After the filing of such complaint before the administrative hearing commission, the proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 621. Upon a finding by the administrative hearing commission that the grounds provided in subsection 2 of this section for disciplinary action are met, the board may, singly or in combination:
(1) Warn, censure, or place the person named in the complaint on probation on such terms and conditions as the board deems appropriate for a period not to exceed ten years; or
(2) Suspend the person's license, certificate, or permit for a period not to exceed three years; or
(3) Administer a public or private reprimand; or
(4) Deny the person's application for a license; or
(5) Permanently withhold issuance of a license or require the person to submit to the care, counseling, or treatment of physicians designated by the board at the expense of the individual to be examined; or
(6) Require the person to attend such continuing education courses and pass such examinations as the board may direct; or
(7) Restrict or limit the person's license for an indefinite period of time; or
(8) Revoke the person's license.
4. In any order of revocation, the board may provide that the person shall not apply for reinstatement of the person's license for a period of time ranging from two to seven years following the date of the order of revocation. All stay orders shall toll such time period.
5. Before restoring to good standing a license, certificate, or permit issued under this chapter which has been in a revoked, suspended, or inactive state for any cause for more than two years, the board may require the applicant to attend such continuing education courses and pass such examinations as the board may direct.
334.735. 1. As used in sections 334.735 to 334.749, the following terms mean:
(1) "Applicant", any individual who seeks to become licensed as a physician assistant;
(2) "Certification" or "registration", a process by a certifying entity that grants recognition to applicants meeting predetermined qualifications specified by such certifying entity;
(3) "Certifying entity", the nongovernmental agency or association which certifies or registers individuals who have completed academic and training requirements;
(4) "Department", the department of insurance, financial institutions and professional registration or a designated agency thereof;
(5) "License", a document issued to an applicant by the board acknowledging that the applicant is entitled to practice as a physician assistant;
(6) "Physician assistant", a person who has graduated from a physician assistant program accredited by the American Medical Association's Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation or by its successor agency, who has passed the certifying examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and has active certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants who provides health care services delegated by a licensed physician. A person who has been employed as a physician assistant for three years prior to August 28, 1989, who has passed the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants examination, and has active certification of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants;
(7) "Recognition", the formal process of becoming a certifying entity as required by the provisions of sections 334.735 to 334.749;
(8) "Supervision", control exercised over a physician assistant working [within the same facility as the] with a supervising physician [sixty-six percent of the time a physician assistant provides patient care, except a physician assistant may make follow-up patient examinations in hospitals, nursing homes, patient homes, and correctional facilities, each such examination being reviewed, approved and signed by the supervising physician, except as provided by subsection 2 of this section. For the purposes of this section, the percentage of time a physician assistant provides patient care with the supervising physician on-site shall be measured each calendar quarter] and oversight of the activities of and accepting responsibility for the physician assistant's delivery of care. The physician assistant shall only practice at a location where the physician routinely provides patient care, except existing patients of the supervising physician in the patient's home and correctional facilities. The supervising physician must be [readily] immediately available in person or via telecommunication during the time the physician assistant is providing patient care. Prior to commencing practice, the supervising physician and physician assistant shall attest on a form provided by the board that the physician shall provide supervision appropriate to the physician assistant's training and that the physician assistant shall not practice beyond the physician assistant's training and experience. Appropriate supervision shall require the supervising physician to be working within the same facility as the physician assistant for at least four hours within one calendar day for every fourteen days on which the physician assistant provides patient care as described in subsection 3 of this section. Only days in which the physician assistant provides patient care as described in subsection 3 of this section shall be counted toward the fourteen-day period. The requirement of appropriate supervision shall be applied so that no more than thirteen calendar days in which a physician assistant provides patient care shall pass between the physician's four hours working within the same facility. The board shall promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 536 for documentation of joint review of the physician assistant activity by the supervising physician and the physician assistant. [The physician assistant shall be limited to practice at locations where the supervising physician is no further than thirty miles by road using the most direct route available, or in any other fashion so distanced as to create an impediment to effective intervention and supervision of patient care or adequate review of services. Any other provisions of this chapter notwithstanding, for up to ninety days following the effective date of rules promulgated by the board to establish the waiver process under subsection 2 of this section, any physician assistant practicing in a health professional shortage area as of April 1, 2007, shall be allowed to practice under the on-site requirements stipulated by the supervising physician on the supervising physician form that was in effect on April 1, 2007.]
2. [The board shall promulgate rules under chapter 536 to direct the advisory commission on physician assistants to establish a formal waiver mechanism by which an individual physician-physician assistant team may apply for alternate minimum amounts of on-site supervision and maximum distance from the supervising physician. After review of an application for a waiver, the advisory commission on physician assistants shall present its recommendation to the board for its advice and consent on the approval or denial of the application. The rule shall establish a process by which the public is invited to comment on the application for a waiver, and shall specify that a waiver may only be granted if a supervising physician and physician assistant demonstrate to the board's satisfaction in accordance with its uniformly applied criteria that:
(1) Adequate supervision will be provided by the physician for the physician assistant, given the physician assistant's training and experience and the acuity of patient conditions normally treated in the clinical setting;
(2)] (1) A supervision agreement shall limit the physician assistant [shall be limited] to practice only at locations described in subdivision (8) of subsection 1 of this section, where the supervising physician is no further than fifty miles by road using the most direct route available