HF 2269 (LSB 5433HV (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2269

BY  COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2125)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the use of the titles physician assistant and physician associate.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 147.74, subsection 17, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   17.  A person who qualifies for licensure as a physician assistant licensed associate under chapter 148C may use the words “physician assistant associate” after the person’s name or signify the same by the use of the letters “P.A.” after the person’s name.
    Sec. 2.  PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TITLE CHANGE.
   1.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, all references in the Iowa Code and Iowa Administrative Code to “physician assistant” shall be revised to “physician associate”. The terms “physician assistant”, “physician associate”, and “P.A.” are synonymous, and all rights and responsibilities of a physician assistant under current law are unaffected by the change in title to “physician associate”.
   2.  All persons or entities employing, coordinating treatment with, following orders from, training, educating, or contracting with a person licensed as a physician assistant or educating individuals in an accredited physician assistant or physician associate education program, including but not limited to a hospital or other health care facility, physician, third-party payor, the federal government, and malpractice insurance carriers, shall continue the relationship without interruption or alteration as a result of the change in title to “physician associate”. A person or entity shall not discriminate against an individual in contracting with the individual, employment, or otherwise solely as a result of the individual’s use of the title “physician associate”.
   3.  During the time before the title “physician associate” enters common usage, a person eligible for licensure under chapter 148C may use the title “physician assistant”, “physician associate”, or “P.A.”. A person or entity interacting with a person using the title “physician associate” is entitled to rely on the person having all rights and responsibilities of a physician assistant.
   4.  The change in title from “physician assistant” to “physician associate” does not expand or alter the scope of practice of a person licensed under chapter 148C.
   5.  Not later than January 1, 2027, each agency shall, as soon as practicable and in the most cost-efficient manner possible, make amendments to active versions of sub-regulatory guidance, documents, and forms to reflect the change in title from “physician assistant” to “physician associate”.
    Sec. 3.  CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE —— TERMINOLOGY CHANGES.
   1.  The Code editor is directed to change all references to “physician assistant” and its derivatives to “physician associate” and its derivatives, as appropriate, wherever they appear in the Code, including in sections 90A.1, 90A.8, 96.5, 124E.2, 135.1, 135.17, 135.24, 135.39D, 135.105D, 135.146, 135.190A, 135.194, 135B.1, 135B.7, 135G.1, 135G.3, 135H.3, 135J.1, 135P.1, 136A.2, 136C.3, 137.105, 139A.2, 139A.8, 139A.22, 139A.35, 139A.41, 141A.1, 141A.5, 141A.6, 141A.7, 142C.8, 144.26, 144.28, 144A.2, 144A.4, 144A.7A, 144B.1, 144B.5, 144B.6, 144D.1, 144D.2, 144D.3, 144D.4, 144F.2, 147.1, 147.2, 147.13, 147.14, 147.77, 147.107, 147.136, 147.136A, 147.138, 147A.1, 147A.8, 147A.9, 147A.10, 147A.13, 148C.1, 148C.2, 148C.3, 148C.4, 148C.5, 148C.8, 148C.9, 148C.11, 148C.13, 148F.7, 148G.1, 148H.4, 152.1, 152B.1, 152C.9, 152D.4, 152D.7, 154C.7, 154D.4, 154F.2, 155A.3, 155A.23, 189A.6, 225.9, 225.12, 225.15, 225.16, 228.1, 229.22, 232.68, 232.71B, 232.78, 232.79, 232.95, 233.1, 234.22, 235A.13, 237A.5, 237A.13, 249.3, 249A.4, 249A.4B, 249N.2, 252E.1, 256.222, 272C.1, 272C.2C, 280.13C, 280.16, 280A.1, 321.34, 321.186, 321.375, 321.446, 321J.7, 321J.11, 321L.2, 321L.2A, 411.5, 462A.14A, 489.1101, 489.1102, 489.1105, 496C.2, 496C.4, 496C.7, 514C.11, 514C.17, 514C.18, 514C.20, 514C.25, 514C.28, 514F.6, 614.1, 622.10, 668A.1, 669.2, 702.8, 707A.1, 730.5, and 915.46.
   2.  The Code editor is directed to make changes in any Code sections or other noncodified enactments amended or enacted by any other Act to correspond with the changes made in this Act if there appears to be no doubt as to the proper method of making the changes and the changes would not be contrary to or inconsistent with the purposes of this Act or any other Act.
    Sec. 4.  AMENDMENTS TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.  
Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 17A to the contrary, an agency may submit amendments to administrative rules in accordance with this Act to the administrative code editor to be updated editorially. Such amendments shall be limited to updating the term “physician assistant” and its derivatives to “physician associate” and corresponding derivatives.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the usage of the titles “physician assistant” and “physician associate”. The bill directs the Iowa Code editor to change all references to “physician assistant” throughout the Code and in any Code sections or other noncodified enactments amended or enacted by any other bill to “physician associate”. The bill does not change the rights, responsibilities, or scope of practice of a person licensed as a physician assistant. The bill prohibits a person with a business relationship with a physician assistant from altering that relationship as a result of the title change to “physician associate”. The bill allows a person who qualifies for licensure under Code chapter 148C (physician assistants), and persons licensed under Code chapter 148C, to use the title “physician assistant” or “physician associate” during the time before the use of the title “physician associate” becomes common. The bill requires agencies to update active versions of sub-regulatory guidance, documents, and forms to reflect the changes in the bill by January 1, 2027.
   The bill allows an agency to submit amendments to the administrative code editor to editorially update references in rules to “physician assistant” to “physician associate”.