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MASSACHUSETS PA's PAC Action Alert


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Okay so everyone is doomsday on our profession, but this is where the rubber meets the road. It is time to pick up the phone, cal, text, email, or best yet meet your presentative in person.  They all have local offices in the district and you should make yourself know. 

 

 

 

MAPA ACTION ALERT

Please email or call your State Senator and State Representative today and ask them to COSPONSOR four key MAPA priority bills!

MAPA is prioritizing four pieces of legislation for the 2021-2022 session. Please forward this Action Alerts to other PAs, family members, and friends that would be able to help us with this co-sponsorship push. If you’re not a MAPA member, please consider joining as we dedicate funds to increase lobbying and advocacy activity at the State House. Become a MAPA Member here. 

The Massachusetts State Legislature just began the start of its new two-year session, and MAPA is prioritizing four pieces of legislation for the 2021-2022 session:

  • An Act enabling physician assistants to authorize psychiatric holds (HD3125/SD1772).Filed by Representative Ted Phillips (D—8th Norfolk) and Senator Michael Moore (D—2nd Worcester), this bill would enable Physician Assistants (PAs) to join other qualified practitioners in placing emergency holds on patients who are at risk of harming themselves or others. This simple inclusion of PAs to language in Section 12 of the General Laws will keep patients safe in the hands of the emergency department practitioners and will allow patients to receive necessary treatment in an expedient and quality manner.
  • An Act Relative to physician assistant non-competes (HD3377/SD1498). Filed by Representative Jon Santiago (D—9th Suffolk) and Senator Patricia Jehlen (D—2nd Middlesex), this bill would prohibit employee non-competition agreements for physician assistants, ensuring that a PA’s right to practice is not restricted by these agreements when changing jobs, and strengthening access to quality care for patients by allowing all PAs to practice at the top of their license. Such statutory protection currently exists for doctors, nurses and social workers, and this legislation would add PA’s to this list of protected providers.
  • An Act relative to removing barriers to care for physician assistants (HD1323/SD701). This legislation was filed by Representative Christine Barber (D—34th Middlesex) and Senator Harriette Chandler (D—1st Worcester). For three months, the Baker Administration issued a temporary Executive Order allowing for PAs to practice without filing a supervising physician with the Commonwealth. This bill will make this temporary Executive Order permanent. Removing the additional filing requirement would enable PA's to efficiently be re-deployed into other areas of hospitals or healthcare centers to treat patients and increase access to care.
  • An Act relative to limited service clinics (HD3212). Filed by Representative Kay Khan (D—11th Middlesex), this bill would clarify the definition of a Limited Service Clinic in Massachusetts to allow PAs to work in limited service clinics (such as CVS MinuteClinics) across the Commonwealth. By clarifying the law to ensure that limited service clinics are able to hire PAs, the Legislature can help these clinics fill a valuable niche in our healthcare system and prevent gaps in access to care.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We want to ensure that as many Senators and Representatives as possible sign on to these bills as co-sponsors! Please take immediate action to reach out.

ACTION STEPS

We are asking you to make two emails or calls today...

  1. One to your current State Representative
  2. One to your current State Senator

You can find out who your State Senator is here: www.wheredoivotema.com, or by calling (800) 462-VOTE, or by contacting our government affairs consultant Kate Worrall at 518-522-2565 or via email at ksaville@charlesgroupconsulting.com.

 

EMAILING YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE//SENATOR

  1. Email your State Representative or Senator in the Massachusetts legislature (listed on as www.wheredoivotema.com as “State Representative” and “State Senator”). The subject line of the email should read “Requesting your Cosponsorship for KEY Physician Assistant legislative priorities.” Make sure to include your full name, residential address and phone number in the email.
  2. Template Email:

Dear Senator/Representative [Last Name],

I hope this email finds you well! Thank you for working hard to support us, your constituents, throughout the last year. My name is [Full Name], and I live at [Address]. As your constituent, I am writing on behalf of the Massachusetts Association of Physician Assistants (MAPA) to request that you support four pieces of legislation important to me and to physician assistants across the state:

  • An Act enabling physician assistants to authorize psychiatric holds (HD3125/SD1772)) filed by Representative Ted Phillips and Senator Michael Moore. This bill would allow for Physician Assistants to place psychiatric emergency holds, ensuring the safety of patients and reducing the criminalization and escalation of mental health.
  • An Act Relative to physician assistant non-competes (HD3377/SD1498). Filed by Representative Jon Santiago and Senator Patricia Jehlen, this bill prohibits the use of non-compete agreements for physician assistants, ensuring that a PA’s right to practice is not restricted when changing jobs and allowing the Commonwealth to best meet the healthcare needs of its people.
  • An Act relative to removing barriers to care for physician assistants (HD1323/SD701). This legislation was filed by Representative Christine Barber and Senator Harriette Chandler. Once a temporary Executive Order by the Baker Administration, this bill would permanently allow for PA’s to practice without filing a supervising physician with the Commonwealth.
  • An Act relative to limited service clinics (HD3212). Filed by Representative Kay Khan (D—11th Middlesex), this bill would clarify the definition of a Limited Service Clinic in Massachusetts to allow PAs to work in limited service clinics (such as CVS MinuteClinics). This will be even more critical as we seek to vaccinate members of the public as expediently as possible, including at limited service clinics.

Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to working together to achieve more equitable health outcomes in Massachusetts. Physician assistants are vital resources to many Commonwealth residents, and disproportionately serve in low-income communities. If you have any questions, please reach out to me here or at [Phone Number].

Sincerely, [Name]

CALLING YOUR STATE SENATOR

  1. Call your State Senator in the Massachusetts legislature (listed on www.wheredoivotema.com as “State Senator”). It is also fine to speak with an aide. Ask to speak to an aide who is dealing with bills related to health care. 
  2. What to say:
  1. An Act enabling physician assistants to authorize psychiatric holds (SD1772) filed by Senator Michael Moore. This bill would allow for Physician Assistants and other qualified practitioners to place psychiatric and substance abuse emergency holds to keep patients safe and expediently provide them with the care they need.
  2. An Act Relative to physician assistant non-competes (SD1498). Filed by Senator Patricia Jehlen, this bill prohibits the use of non-compete agreements for physician assistants, ensuring that a PA’s right to practice is not restricted when changing jobs and allowing the Commonwealth to best meet the healthcare needs of its people.
  3. An Act relative to removing barriers to care for physician assistants (SD701) filed by Senator Harriette Chandler. Once a temporary Executive Order by the Baker Administration, this bill would permanently allow for PA’s to practice without filing a supervising physician with the Commonwealth.
  4. Feel free to talk about why this issue is important to you personally!

(NOTE: You can also leave a voicemail following this same script if the legislator or aide does not pick up. Due to the pandemic, most state house phones are not being answered, as many legislators are out of their formal offices. However, if you leave a voicemail, the office should forward your message along to be checked by an aide or legislator. Please follow up with an email using the template above if your call is not returned within 5 business days.)

 

CALLING YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

  1. Call your State Representative in the Massachusetts legislature (listed on as www.wheredoivotema.com as “State Representative”). It is also fine to speak with an aide. Ask to speak to an aide who is dealing with bills related to health care.
  2. What to say:
  1. An Act enabling physician assistants to authorize psychiatric holds (HD3125) filed by Rep. Ted Philips. This bill would allow for Physician Assistants and other qualified practitioners to place psychiatric and substance abuse emergency holds to keep patients safe and expediently provide them with the care they need.
  2. An Act Relative to physician assistant non-competes (HD3377). Filed by Rep. Jon Santiago, this bill prohibits the use of non-compete agreements for physician assistants, ensuring that a PA’s right to practice is not restricted when changing jobs and allowing the Commonwealth to best meet the healthcare needs of its people.
  3. An Act relative to removing barriers to care for physician assistants (HD1323) filed by Rep. Christine Barber. Once a temporary Executive Order by the Baker Administration, this bill would permanently allow for PA’s to practice without filing a supervising physician with the Commonwealth.
  4. Lastly, I hope you will co-sponsor An Act relative to limited service clinics (HD3212). Filed by Representative Kay Khan, this bill would clarify the definition of a Limited Service Clinic in Massachusetts to allow PAs to work in limited service clinics (such as CVS MinuteClinics).
  5. Feel free to talk about why this issue is important to you personally!

(NOTE: You can also leave a voicemail following this same script if the legislator or aide does not pick up. Due to the pandemic, most state house phones are not being answered, as many legislators are out of their formal offices. However, if you leave a voicemail, the office should forward your message along to be checked by an aide or legislator. Please follow up with an email using the template above if your call is not returned within 5 business days.)


THANK YOU for your support of MAPA and your profession!

Sincerely, 

Massachusetts Association of Physician Assistants (MAPA)

http://mass-pa.com/members/EmailOptPreferences.aspx?id=60261546&e=jeffreykellogg@yahoo.com&h=81f5f5529f9ed50dbea14598a26e1ee55ab02faa

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