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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 774 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2371
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act removing barriers to care for physician assistants.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/13/2025Daniel M. Donahue16th Worcester3/5/2025Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden2/13/2025Michael J. Finn6th Hampden2/21/2025Judith A. Garcia11th Suffolk3/3/2025Vanna Howard17th Middlesex3/4/2025Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/18/2025Christopher M. Markey9th Bristol2/12/2025John J. Marsi6th Worcester2/12/2025Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester2/21/2025Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/18/2025Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk3/10/2025Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex3/6/2025Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable2/22/2025 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 774 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2371
By Representative Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2371) of
Christine P. Barber and others relative to the licensing, supervision and scope of practice of
physicians assistants. Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act removing barriers to care for physician assistants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. The second sentence of the first paragraph of Section 51J of Chapter 111 of
2the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the word “practitioner” the following
3words: - or physician assistant.
4 SECTION 2. The first sentence of the third paragraph of subsection (g) of section 7 of
5chapter 94C of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the words “pursuant to
6guidelines mutually developed and agreed upon by the supervising physician and the physician
7assistant”.
8 SECTION 3. The second sentence of the third paragraph of subsection (g) of section 7 of
9chapter 94C of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the words “, the board of
10registration in medicine”. 2 of 4
11 SECTION 4. Section 9E of chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by
12striking out the first and second paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following
13paragraphs:-
14 Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a physician assistant may perform medical
15services when such services are within the education, training and experience of the physician
16assistant and which the physician assistant is competent to perform.
17 Physician assistants, depending upon their level of professional training and experience,
18may perform medical services of a general nature and may order tests and therapeutics.
19 SECTION 5. Said section 9E of said chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby further
20amended striking out the fourth and fifth paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following
21paragraphs:-
22 The legal responsibility of the physician assistant shall remain that of the individual
23physician assistant, employing physician, group of physicians, or healthcare facility as part of the
24health care team responsible for the care and treatment of the patient.
25 Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation to the contrary, services provided by
26a physician assistant consistent with their scope of practice shall be covered by insurers and other
27payers if the same service is covered if provided by a physician. When appropriate, a physician
28assistant shall be identified as the provider in the bill and claims process when services have
29been provided directly by the physician assistant. A physician assistant may bill an insurer or
30other payer directly and receive direct payment for the delivery of medically necessary services.
31An insurer or other payer shall not impose a practice, education, or collaboration requirement
32that is inconsistent with or more restrictive than required by statute or regulation. 3 of 4
33 SECTION 6. Section 9F of said chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by
34inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-
35 The board shall require as a condition of granting or renewing a physician assistant's
36certificate of registration that a physician assistant shall practice for at least 2,000 hours, within
37the context of a collaborative agreement, within a hospital or integrated clinical setting where
38physician assistants and physicians work together to provide patient care. The physician assistant
39shall submit written evidence of such practice to the board with the application, or upon
40completion of the required collaborative practice experience. A collaborative agreement is a
41mutually agreed upon plan for the overall working relationship between the physician assistant
42and one or more physicians that designates the scope of collaboration necessary to manage the
43care of patients. The physician assistant and collaborating physician or physicians must have
44experience in providing care to patients with the same or similar medical problems.
45 SECTION 7. The second sentence of the third paragraph of said section 9F of said
46chapter 112 is hereby amended by striking out the words “, in consultation with the board of
47registration in medicine, and consistent with the authority of the board of registration in medicine
48over the supervising physician and the practice of medicine,”.
49 SECTION 8. The third sentence of the third paragraph section 9I of chapter 112 of the
50General Lawsis hereby amended by striking out the words “and the name and address of any
51supervising physician”.
52 SECTION 9. The second sentence of the fourth paragraph of said section 9I of said
53chapter 112 is hereby amended by striking out the words “, change of supervising physician”. 4 of 4
54 SECTION 10. The first sentence of section 12B of chapter 112 of the General Laws is
55hereby amended by striking out the words “or supervising”.
56 SECTION 11. The board of registration of physician assistants shall amend its
57regulations at 263 CMR 5.05 to be consistent with this act.