On May 19, Governor Tim Walz signed into law HF3989. HF3989 adds physician assistants to many of the statutes that provide licensed health care providers with the rights, duties, protections, and authority to perform certain acts. This is the result of years of advocacy, grassroots efforts, and untold hours of dedicated work by the MAPA Legislative Committee, Chaired by PA Leslie Clayton.
HF3989 is the 2022 PA Harmonization Act. It clarifies and makes administrative updates to current MN statutes impacted by our 2020 PA Modernization Act. These revisions will reduce administrative confusion and allow PAs to continue caring for patients without disruption.
The 2020 PA Modernization Act (updates to MN Statute section 147A) shifted PA practice from a supervisory to a collaborative model and allows PAs to practice at the top of their license and experience. Thanks to this Act, PAs have become more employable, and their practice is more flexible, which improves access to care for MN patients.
In Minnesota statutes, licensed health care providers are specifically given certain rights, duties, and protections and the authority to perform certain acts.
This bill adds “physician assistant,” “licensed physician assistant,” “physician assistant services,” and related terms to existing language that gives physicians and other health care providers certain rights, duties, and protections, or authority to perform certain acts. The bill also removes language related to physician assistants acting under the direction of a physician and makes technical and clarifying changes.
Read the AAPA article promoting MAPA’s efforts to enhance patient care with the passing of HF3989.
Iowa, Minnesota Legislation Strengthening PA Practice Signed into Law, published June 17, 2022
