Bill Description: House Bill 806 would expand the scope of practice for licensed physician assistants in Idaho. 

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House Bill 806 would amend Section 54-1807A, Idaho Code, to clarify and expand the scope of practice for licensed physician assistants in Idaho.

The current law requires physician assistants to “collaborate with one (1) or more physicians licensed pursuant to this chapter.” The revised language would allow a physician assistant to “appropriately assess and treat the condition of the patient within the scope of the physician assistant's education, training, and experience and within the community standard of care.” 

It would further say that “the degree and nature of collaboration shall be determined by the facility or practice in which the physician assistant works and shall be set forth in facility bylaws or procedures for facilities that have credentialing and privileging systems or in a written collaborative practice agreement for all other facilities and practices.”

The scope of practice could still be limited by the State Board of Medicine’s rules, but this bill would pave the way for physician assistants to provide a wider range of services, which could result in lower costs and better availability, especially in rural areas. 

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