PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS SB 147 - Regarding the practice of physician assistants, including the establishment of physician-delegated prescriptive authority

Hearings have begun at the Statehouse on SB 147 - the Physician Assistants legislation. Several representatives of the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants have testified in support of SB 147. Some believe that passage of SB 147 would be an appropriate way to increase efficiency and quality of care. At a recent hearing on the legislation, Bricker & Eckler Attorney Terrence O'Donnell, representing the Ohio Academy of Physician Assistants, outlined the bill's provisions and noted that the medical assistants field is the fastest growing according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics. He said the bill would bring Ohio into line with other states. 

The AMC/NOMA has several concerns with this legislation - including the drug formulary. As of right now, the bill is drafted to provide a negative formulary - meaning that as new drugs come onto the market, a PA would be presumed to be able to prescribe them until the State Medical Board determined differently. The AMC/NOMA believes the formulary should be more restrictive similar to the list for APNs. We will continue to monitor how the bill progresses through the legislature.