Tune in to State Legislatures After the Super Bowl

More and more states across the country continue to introduce and debate topics ranging from scope of practice to telemedicine. Be alert to what is happening in your state — here’s just a snapshot of some of the bills the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) state affairs team is paying attention to this week.

Scope of Practice

Alaska

Senate Bill (SB) 115 would allow a physician assistant (PA) who has completed 2,000 hours of practice experience to no longer be required to practice under a collaborative agreement with a physician.

Arizona

SB 1295 would enjoin the state of Arizona into the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Compact. This compact allows APRNs who meet its eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.

Idaho

House Bill (HB) 418 would permit the Idaho State Board of Medicine to establish a three-year renewable limited license under which assistant physicians could practice medicine, under conditions set and approved by the State Board of Medicine. This bill defines an assistant physician as someone who has recently graduated from medical school (within the first three years) and is a U.S. citizen or attended medical school in the United States.

Oklahoma

SB 1654 and HB 3781 would enjoin the state of Oklahoma into the physician assistant (PA) compact. This compact allows PAs who meet its eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.

Rhode Island

SB 2181 would repeal the July 1, 2025, sunset provision of the interstate medical licensure compact. The interstate medical licensure compact allows physicians who meet the compact’s eligibility requirements to practice medicine in other compact states.

Washington

HB 1917 would enjoin the state of Washington into the physician assistant (PA) compact.

Licensure

Georgia

HB 434 would permit the Georgia Composite Medical Board to establish criteria for licensure and renewal of licensure as a radiologist assistant.

Maryland

HB 934 and SB 830 would permit the Maryland State Board of Physicians to create a licensure process for the practice of limited licensed radiologic technologists.

Out-of-Network / Surprise / Balance Billing Bills

Arizona

SB 1402 would make the following changes regarding healthcare costs and reimbursement:
• Require each health insurer to establish a program to provide a savings incentive for enrollees for medically necessary covered healthcare services.
• Mandate that insurers disclose to enrollees, the deidentified minimum negotiated charge for covered healthcare services.

Patient Rights

Kentucky

SB 154 would require practitioners licensed as advanced imaging professionals, medical imaging technologists, radiographers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine technologists or limited X-ray machine operators to allow a patient to record any procedure performed upon the patient.

Prior Authorization

Oklahoma

HB 3190 would create the Ensuring Transparency in Prior Authorization Act. This act would require insurers to make certain standards and practices for prior authorization publicly available online and require all adverse determinations to be made by a physician.

Telemedicine/Teleradiology

Oklahoma

SB 1829 provides that the practice of medicine and surgery shall not include any person who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in another state or territory of the United States whose sole purpose and activity is limited to interpreting medical imaging test results for patients located in the state via telemedicine.

The ACR has partnered 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. You can also access information and ACR resources about scope of practice.

For more information about state legislative activities, contact Eugenia Brandt, ACR Senior Government Affairs Director, or Dillon Harp, ACR Senior Government Relations Specialist.