Central PA Medicine Winter 2021 - 27

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counselors, optometrists, or CRNPs.
It is fair to say that absent the public health the House (199-0) and the Senate (48-0).
PAMED, part of a broader physician co- crisis, this session likely would have looked It was signed into law as Act 126 of 2020.
alition, led a historic effort to negotiate a a lot different from a legislative outcome
Senate Bill 473 - (Scavello) - Tobacco
compromise with certified registered nurse perspective. As we begin a new legislative 21. Increases Pennsylvania's minimum legal
practitioners (CRNPs) seeking independent session in January 2021, we will continue sales age for tobacco products from 18 to 21
practice authority. Although the coalition to engage and actively work to advance years of age. PAMED supports this initiative.
saw the pilot program approved by the PAMED's key legislative priorities. With It has passed both chambers and was signed
State House, the legislation stalled in the that being said, the pandemic still persists, into law as ACT 111 of 2019.
Senate Consumer Protection & Professional and we will continue to work to protect our
Senate Bill 842 - (Phillips-Hill) - Photo
Licensure Committee. As of this writing, heroes serving in the trenches.
identification
tag regulations - Both of these
the organizations representing CRNPs
bills
remove
the
requirement for surnames
have announced they no longer support
Legislative
Outcomes-
to
be
displayed
on
health care employees'
the agreement and will again be seeking
204th
Legislative
Session:
identification
badges.
SB842 passed the
universal independent practice authority.
Senate
(49-0)
and
House
(201-0). It was
The following section provides a list of
PAMED also spent considerable time
signed
into
law
as
Act
54
of
2020.
engaged in discussions with physician assis- key bills either directly related or ancillary
House Bill 1880 - (Gillespie) - Photo id.
tants who are seeking to change the process to PAMED policy and legislative priorities.
The
commentary
details
a
brief
description
This
bill passed the House (188-0) and has
by which their supervisory agreements are
of
the
legislation
and
final
outcomes
as
of
been
referred to Senate Health and Human
structured and approved. Dialogue bethe
close
of
the
session.
Services.
Not sure which one will get final
tween our two groups did produce a better
movement/traction.
understanding of how current requirements
disadvantage PAs over other providers such
Senate Bill 432 - (Phillips-Hill) - Allows
Enacted Legislation:
as CRNPs. Efforts to address concerns exMCOs to have access to the information in
House Bill 943 - (Gaydos) - Gag clause the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
pressed will continue next session as we work
to find a resolution that will appropriately for pharmacists - Extends the prohibition (PDMP). Of note, we oppose this bill as
reflect contemporary practice while at the against price transparency to insurance expanding access to the PDMP and are
programs not covered previously by the monitoring amendments, specifically Rep.
same time ensuring patient safety.
Federal legislation. Passed the House (197-0) Grove's, which would prohibit municipalities
We were happy to see that Pennsylvania's
and the Senate (50-0). This bill was signed from creating duplicative PDMPs (direct
ophthalmologists resolved a decades long batinto law by the Governor as Act 67 of 2020. response to Philly City Council intending
tle with optometrists through the adoption
Senate Bill 572 - (Aument) - mandating to create their own). Passed the Senate
of an agreement that provides optometrists
with limited expansion in the treatment of opioid treatment agreements and urine and House and was signed into law by the
glaucoma while at the same time expressly testing - Passed the Senate and House and Governor as ACT 8 of 2020.
prohibiting " surgical " procedures including the Senate concurred. This bill has been
Senate Bill 391 - (Gordner) - Seeks
laser surgery. With the exception of the signed into law as ACT 112 of 2019 by to amend the Optometric Practice and
ophthalmology issue, we anticipate the the Governor. PAMED opposed based on Licensure Act to revise the therapeutic
remaining scope issues to be reintroduced mandating guidelines; Orthopedic society drug approval process, clarify the definition
supports. There are still concerns being of the practice of optometry, permit the
early next session.
voiced over the passage of this legislation, treatment of anaphylaxis, and clarify insurWorking with a provider coalition that
most recently in the Senate.
ance procedure. Voted favorably out of the
included pathologists, emergency physicians,
Senate Bill 314 - (Baker) - rural health Senate Consumer Protection & Professional
anesthesiologists, and others, PAMED
played an active role in helping to prevent program - Passed both the Senate and Licensure committee and stalled in Senate
the passage of surprise billing legislation House with no opposition and was signed Appropriations after receiving second conthat would have been detrimental to both into law as ACT 108 of 2019. PAMED was sideration from the full Senate, as House
patients and physicians. We expect a more asked by the Governor's office to weigh in Bill 2561 (companion) received traction.
palatable proposal to be introduced early during the process.
House Bill 2561 - (Culver) - Amends
next year. PAMED also continued to push
House Bill 1662 - (DiGirolamo) - Death the Optometric Practice and Licensure
for prior authorization reform, an issue that and Incident Review Act - Amends the Act to revise the therapeutic drug approval
continues to take shape and evolve into Methadone Death and Incident Review Act process and to allow optometrists to order
what we hope will be a successful effort in to include deaths and incidents attributable
the coming legislative session.
to the use and misuse of suboxone. Passed
Continued on page 28
Central PA Medicine Winter 2021 27

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