Allows certified nurse practitioners to practice without collaboration of a licensed physician

7 Co-sponsors

• Tony Avella
• Adriano Espaillat
• Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• Shirley L. Huntley
• Jeffrey D. Klein
• Suzi Oppenheimer
• Bill Perkins

BILL NUMBER:S324

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to services performed by nurse practitioners

Purpose or general idea of bill

To end the requirement of a collaboration agreement between a nurse practitioner and a physician as a condition for practice, and provide coverage for nurse practitioner services.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 of the bill amends the nurse practice act in Education Law to delete the requirements for a collaboration agreement and practice protocols between nurse practitioners and physicians. Section 2 establishes a nurse practitioner advisory panel, appointed by the Regents.

Sections 4, 5, 6, and 7 mandate that major medical, comprehensive-type insurance benefits, as well as managed care policies, extend coverage to nurse practitioners, including those working in independent settings.

Justification

Nurse practitioners (NPs) practice in a variety of primary and specialty care settings including ambulatory, acute, long term care. Nurse practitioners are licensed and certified by the State Education Department to diagnose illness and physical conditions and perform therapeutic and corrective measures, order tests, prescribe medications, medical devices and immunizing agents and, when appropriate, refer patients to other health care providers, without direct supervision. In addition to their advance certification by the Nursing Board, many NPs are certified by national accrediting agencies in one or more practice specialty.

Currently, New York requires a mandatory collaboration relationship between a NP and a MD. That relationship is defined by written practice agreement which can be as narrow or as broad as the MD is willing. Elsewhere, NP's with complete independence in 13 states (AL, AZ, DC, IA, ID, ME, MT, NH, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY). Given the education, training and advanced certification of NPS, mandatory collaboration no longer serves a clinical purpose. Instead, mandatory collaboration serves as a barrier to practice and a disincentive to advanced certification, and it. restricts access to primary health care for individuals and families in underserved areas of the state.

Prior legislative history

2008: Referred to and died in Higher Education Committee; 2009-10: Referred to and died in Higher Education Committee.

Fiscal implications

Reduces administrative costs for the State Education Department.

Effective date

Immediately, with provisions.