The Governor of WV vetoed bill that would have removed need for high stakes testing

[Noreaster]

I'm not in WV but I have begun to follow this subject matter avidly and am getting involved.  I, for one, am sick and tired of the NCCPA bullying their ways and their cause.  They plainly say that PAs are "safer to the public" by taking high stakes re-cert exams.  I, for one, do NOT agree. 

 

I do think it's time for PAs to stop pointing fingers and saying this or that organization isn't doing anything for us but WE need to get involved OURSELVES.  That is what NPs do and that is certainly partly why they have much more success with legislation. 

 

Here's what the NCCPA posted about this vetoed bill on their website. 

http://www.nccpa.net/legislative-issues

I do NOT support this type of movement.  The NCCPA continues to tell us what's good for us.  They act like overbearing parents, who display authoritarianism but we ARE ADULTS in our profession.  It's the state boards and PA boards of medicine that are responsible to protect the public, NOT the NCCPA.  They're our certifying body. 

 

C'mon PAs.. stand up for yourselves/ourselves!  Your state just took a hit of the NCCPA's bullying.  The NCCPA got YOUR governor and convinced him/her that the high stakes re-cert test makes us "safer" which is absolute bull.  

F I G H T   B A C K!

[sas5814]

April 17, 2017

 

The Honorable Governor Jim Justice
1900 Kanawha Blvd.
Charleston, WV  25305

 

Subject:  Senate Bill 347 – Modernization of the PA Practice Act (SB347)

 

PAs for Tomorrow (PAFT), a special interest group of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), urges you to reverse your recent veto of SB347. 

PAFT represents the national interests of our PA members. We respectfully emphasize the following facts for your consideration: 

SB347 included important actions to modernize West Virginia’s PA Practice Act to reflect and support today’s health care needs of West Virginia citizens, including, but not limited to:

• The PA relationship with a “collaborating” rather than “supervising” physician
• PAs would be allowed to prescribe a monthly supply of Schedule II and Schedule III drugs under certain circumstances, with specified restrictions (consistent with APRNs as granted under House Bill 4334 in 2016)
• PAs would be granted global signatory authority in a manner identical to APRNs (granted under House Bill 4334 in 2016), for death certificates, orders for life-sustaining treatment, orders for scope of treatment and do-not resuscitate (DNR) orders

SB347 passed your legislative branches unanimously.  The only objections raised to the final version of SB347 were from the NCCPA, an Atlanta-based organization with a vested interest in protecting its own revenues generated from fees for recertification exams, fees for CME endorsements, and fees for CME recording services.

PAs are masters-level clinicians extensively trained in generalist medicine in formal training programs that are typically 105 credit hours, three times the educational hours of any other masters degree.  ALL PAs must graduate from an Accredited PA Program and take a national certifying exam, administered by the NCCPA, for application for licensure to practice medicine in any state (or D.C.).

However,

• Only 18 of the United States require re-certification for license renewal;
  33 (with D.C.) do NOT require PAs to re-certify in order to maintain their license; these jurisdictions have no issues with patient safety
• CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) does not require PAs enrolled as providers to recertify

Like many of these states that do not require recertification as a requirement for maintenance of licensure, West Virginia PAs are already required to complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years, which is an assurance that PAs maintain the needed skills to provide safe care of patients.  Most PAs do re-certify, often because it is required by their employer or some 3rd party payers.

The additional administrative burden for the state to monitor maintenance of certification is unnecessary.

Our organization is comprised of many veterans with over a half century of experience caring for our troops and their dependents as PA medical care providers. Vetoing SB347 does a disservice to the citizens of your great state, both to the PAs that would be better able to practice medicine to the extent of their training and education, and to the patients they serve.

We urge you to reverse your veto of SB347.

Sincerely,

Dr. Eric Holden, DHSc, PA
Emergency Medicine PA
Doctor of Health Science & Global Health
President, PAs For Tomorrow

 

Approved by the Board of PAFT

[Noreaster]

It looks as though the WV Governor is re-considering the bill, which is really great news.  Major props to ALL the PAs, who worked hard--not only on all the years of work to even get the bill approved (before veto) but also for doubling back and re-working it to get the WV Governor to re-consider.  Hoping it will be a go!  I'm assuming the Governor would reconsider all on the bill, with the exception of what the NCCPA swayed him with, for re-cert linkage to state license. 

[AliB]

The governor did not reverse his veto, so SB347 is "dead".  However, he DID include the topic on the agenda for the Special Session that is currently in session (long story, but to be considered in a special session, legislation must be explicitly included on the agenda in any extraordinary session called by the governor).  So it's a "new" bill, but it retains almost all of the modernization language that was in SB 347 (and clarification on one of the points that was an NCCPA issue regarding certification prior to licensing).  To the best of my knowledge, the new legislation has completed the required consideration in the WV House and is now in the Senate for approval (due to a small change in verbiage from the House process).  It could get to the governor within a week for his signature.  

 

Agree!  Kudos to all, in WV, and elsewhere, who actively worked to get things back on track for West Virginia.  

[Noreaster]

The governor did not reverse his veto, so SB347 is "dead".  However, he DID include the topic on the agenda for the Special Session that is currently in session (long story, but to be considered in a special session, legislation must be explicitly included on the agenda in any extraordinary session called by the governor).  So it's a "new" bill, but it retains almost all of the modernization language that was in SB 347 (and clarification on one of the points that was an NCCPA issue regarding certification prior to licensing).  To the best of my knowledge, the new legislation has completed the required consideration in the WV House and is now in the Senate for approval (due to a small change in verbiage from the House process).  It could get to the governor within a week for his signature.  

 

Wow.. 

Ok, so, I'm a little confused.  The Governor agreed to entertain the new bill?  I don't get why he wouldn't just reverse the veto...I'd think that'd be easier?  

What clarifications with licensure linked to certification? 

[AliB]

Yes, the Governor placed it on the special agenda (the only way it could be reconsidered this year) as "TEN: A bill relating to physician assistants" in his 2nd amended proclamation for the special session.  To the best of my understanding (from one of the WV PAs) there was varying interpretation (or misinterpretation) of language that was intended to allow application for WV licensure from a PA from another state that does NOT require maintenance of certification from the NCCPA, e.g., Florida, or Texas, without having current certification (but would still have to have graduated from an accredited program or predecessor AND have passed the PANCE AND ... etc. ).  I *think* the new legislation has everything else that was in the previous unanimously approved bill.  

[Noreaster]

ok, thanks very much.  So, the part of not having to maintain certification, (even though passed PANCE) is still on the bill?

[AliB]

Yes and no.  From the new bill (SB1014) text that I've read, for initial licensure, the applicant DOES have to be currently certified by the NCCPA (as well as having a bachelors or masters degree from an accredited PA program, passed the PANCE, not have any PA license/certification/registration revoked, etc.), but does NOT have to be currently certified in order to RENEW a previously issued WV license.

[Noreaster]

Yes and no.  From the new bill (SB1014) text that I've read, for initial licensure, the applicant DOES have to be currently certified by the NCCPA (as well as having a bachelors or masters degree from an accredited PA program, passed the PANCE, not have any PA license/certification/registration revoked, etc.), but does NOT have to be currently certified in order to RENEW a previously issued WV license.

 

Thank you very much.  I hope that is true and I hope the bill gets signed !!!  I'm very much ok with states needing initial PANCE but against license being linked to MOC/PANRE entirely!  I think we're down to only 18 states requiring re-cert testing/maintaining the C and hoping the number continues to go down.