Stay Alert – Scope of Practice is a Major Focus in States

We are midway through March and some state legislatures are starting to wind down while others are just beginning. The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) is tracking more than one hundred pieces of legislation currently and continues to serve as a resource for state chapters as they educate legislators about the practice of radiology and the impacts the specialty has on patient care. Here are a few bills that ACR is tracking. 
 

Scope of Practice

Arkansas
House Bill (HB) 1132 would allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to prescribe Schedule 3 drugs.

California
Assembly Bill 1215 would allow podiatrists, nurse practitioners (NPs), nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), nurse midwives (CNMs) and other non-physician providers (NPPs) to be part of medical staffs, which in California is currently limited to licensed physicians and surgeons.

Minnesota
Senate File (SF) 1084 would change the title of physician assistant (PA) to “physician associate.” 

New Mexico
HB 266 would allow PAs to practice independently and prescribe drugs.

HB 267 would allow PAs with at least three years of experience and board approval to supervise newly licensed PAs. Currently, only physicians can supervise newly licensed PAs.

New York
AB 5985 would enjoin New York into the PA licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet the compact’s eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.

SB 5657 would enjoin New York into the interstate medical licensure compact. This allows physicians who meet the compact’s eligibility requirements to practice medicine in other compact states.

Ohio
HB 52 would remove the requirement that CRNAs be supervised by a physician and replace it with language that would require a CRNA to “consult” with a physician. 

Rhode Island
HB 5622/SB 472 would enjoin Rhode Island into the interstate medical licensure compact. 

Texas
SB 1609 would enjoin Texas into the PA licensure compact. 
 

Out-of-Network / Surprise / Balance Billing 

Florida
HB 1101 would require a healthcare practitioner to notify a patient in writing upon referring the patient to a non-participating provider for nonemergency services. This notice must also include that the services will be provided on an out-of-network basis, which may result in additional cost-sharing responsibilities for the patient.
 

Reimbursement

Oregon
HB 3752 would direct the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to study the reimbursement rates in the state’s medical assistance program and submit a report no later than Sept. 15, 2026. 
 

Telemedicine

Oregon 
HB 3727 would allow a physician or a PA to use telemedicine under certain conditions with a patient who is temporarily located out-of-state.

Rhode Island
HB 5622/SB 472 would permit all in-state residents to have access to telemedicine services from both in-state and out-of-state medical providers, as long as any out-of-state medical provider is registered with the Rhode Island Department of Health. 

 

For more information about these bills, contact Dillon Harp, ACR Senior State Government Relations Specialist.
 
ACR is committed to supporting its chapters in their state-level advocacy efforts. The College also offers resources for members through the State Issues page and can assist with delivering legislative calls to action and grassroots mobilization.
 
ACR partners with Fiscal Note, a legislation and regulation tracking service, to provide continuous, comprehensive updates on radiology- and healthcare-related legislation. To stay current on state legislative developments relevant to radiology, view the ACR policy map or receive state-specific reports from Fiscal Note. The ACR Bulletin is also a good source for information related to what is happening at the state level. 
 
For state-level calls to action or to sign up to receive Fiscal Note reports, chapter leaders should contact Eugenia Brandt, ACR Senior Government Relations Director, or Melody Ballesteros, ACR Assistant Director Government Relations.