Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2484 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1575 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2484
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jay D. Livingstone
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to anesthesiologist assistants.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jay D. Livingstone8th Suffolk1/15/2025David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex2/25/2025Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/25/2025Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/25/2025James Arciero2nd Middlesex2/25/2025 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1575 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2484
18	18	By Representative Livingstone of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2484) of
19	19	Jay D. Livingstone and others relative to anesthesiologist assistants. Public Health.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
23	23	(2025-2026)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act relative to anesthesiologist assistants.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 Section 1. Chapter 112 of the General laws is hereby amended by adding the following
29	29	2sections after section 12GG:
30	30	3 Section 12HH. As used in sections 12HH to 12MM, inclusive, the following words shall
31	31	4have the following meanings:
32	32	5 (i) “Anesthesiologist” means a physician who is licensed under section 2 of chapter 112
33	33	6and has completed a residency in anesthesiology approved by the American Board of
34	34	7Anesthesiology or the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology;
35	35	8 (ii) "Anesthesiologist assistant" means any person who assists in the practice of medicine
36	36	9under the supervision of an anesthesiologist or group of anesthesiologists approved by the board
37	37	10to supervise such assistant; 2 of 5
38	38	11 (i) "Assists" means the anesthesiologist assistant may personally perform those duties and
39	39	12responsibilities delegated to him by his supervising anesthesiologist with the supervising
40	40	13anesthesiologist being physically present in the same facility.
41	41	14 (ii) "Back-up anesthesiologist" means a board approved physician anesthesiologist
42	42	15designated by the supervising anesthesiologist to ensure supervision of the anesthesiologist
43	43	16assistant in the supervising anesthesiologist's absence. A back up anesthesiologist is subject to
44	44	17the same requirements imposed upon the supervising anesthesiologist if the back-up
45	45	18anesthesiologist is acting as a supervising anesthesiologist;
46	46	19 (iii) “Board” means the Board of Registration in Medicine;
47	47	20 (iv) "Supervising anesthesiologist" means a:
48	48	21 i. Anesthesiologist who utilizes and agrees to be responsible for the medical acts of a
49	49	22board-approved anesthesiologist assistant; or
50	50	23 ii. Back-up anesthesiologist when acting in the absence of the supervising
51	51	24anesthesiologist;
52	52	25 (v) "Supervision" means the ready, on-site availability of the supervising anesthesiologist
53	53	26for consultation and direction of the activities of the anesthesiologist assistant;
54	54	27 (vi) “In the same facility” refers to anywhere in the facility where anesthesia services
55	55	28may be needed including but not limited to the operating room suites, intensive care unit,
56	56	29emergency room, obstetric suite, endoscopy suite, radiology suite, cardiac services suite, and
57	57	30recovery room. 3 of 5
58	58	31 Section 12II. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an anesthesiologist assistant
59	59	32may assist in the practice of medicine relating to the provision of anesthesia services under the
60	60	33supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist assistant may perform those
61	61	34duties and responsibilities delegated to him by the supervising anesthesiologist when the duties
62	62	35and responsibilities are provided under the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist approved
63	63	36by the board. The board may adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of sections
64	64	3712HH to 12MM that include scope of practice of an anesthesiologist assistant including
65	65	38requirements and limitations on the provision of anesthesia services by an anesthesiologist
66	66	39assistant as determined by the board to be in the best interests of patient health and safety and
67	67	40consistent with the standards of care established by the National Commission for Certification of
68	68	41Anesthesiologist Assistants.. Regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this section shall
69	69	42include the following provisions:
70	70	43 (1) An anesthesiologist assistant must be supervised by an anesthesiologist licensed under
71	71	44section 2 of chapter112 who is actively engaged in clinical practice and available on-site to
72	72	45provide assistance to the anesthesiologist assistant.
73	73	46 (2) Anesthesiologist assistants must comply with all continuing education requirements
74	74	47and recertification requirements of the National Commission for Certification of
75	75	48Anesthesiologist Assistants or its successor organization.
76	76	49 Section 12JJ. The board shall register and issue licenses to anesthesiologists assistants in
77	77	50the commonwealth, take appropriate disciplinary action against anesthesiologist assistants,
78	78	51approve and issue certificates of approval of programs for the training of anesthesiologist
79	79	52assistants and maintain a current roster of persons serving as anesthesiologist assistants in the 4 of 5
80	80	53commonwealth as well as a list of approved training programs. Disciplinary action may include
81	81	54revocation or suspension of license, censure or other disciplinary action, including the imposition
82	82	55of restrictions upon a license relating to a violation of the boards regulations.
83	83	56 Section 12KK. (a) Applications for licensure as an anesthesiology assistant shall be
84	84	57submitted in accordance with procedures established by the board. The board may grant an
85	85	58anesthesiologist assistant license to an applicant who:
86	86	59 (i) Has graduated from an anesthesiologist assistant program accredited by the
87	87	60Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or its
88	88	61predecessor or successor organization;
89	89	62 (ii) Has satisfactorily completed a certification examination administered by the National
90	90	63Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants or other national certifying agency
91	91	64established for such purposes which has been reviewed and approved by the board and is
92	92	65currently certified;
93	93	66 (iii) Completes an application form and pays a licensing fee in an amount determined by
94	94	67the board.
95	95	68 (b) The board may issue a temporary license to any person who successfully completes a
96	96	69CAAHEP or other board approved program for the education and training of an anesthesiologist
97	97	70assistant but has not passed a certification examination. To allow the opportunity to take the
98	98	71next available certification examination, any temporary license issued pursuant to this subsection
99	99	72shall be issued for a period not to exceed one (1) year. 5 of 5
100	100	73 (c) All licenses other than temporary licenses expire annually on December 31. An
101	101	74anesthesiologist assistant may renew his license by completing and submitting a renewal
102	102	75application form published by the board and renewal fee to the board prior to expiration of his
103	103	76current license.
104	104	77 (d) The board may reinstate a lapsed license if the applicant pays a reinstatement fee and
105	105	78meets the requirements for the granting of an initial license.
106	106	79 Section 12LL. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, nothing in Sections
107	107	8012HH to 12MM shall be construed to prevent an anesthesiologist assistant from having access to
108	108	81and being able to obtain drugs as ordered and directed by the supervising anesthesiologist.
109	109	82 Section 12MM. Any person practicing as an anesthesiologist assistant or representing that
110	110	83he is an anesthesiologist assistant without a license or any person employing an unlicensed
111	111	84person to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant shall be punished by a fine of not less than
112	112	85$100 and not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not less than 30 days and not more than 1
113	113	86year in the house of corrections, or by both such fine and imprisonment.