Advocacy Correspondence: PA House Professional Licensure Committee, Support for House Bills 2294 and 2295
June 10, 2024
The Honorable Frank Burns
Chair, Professional Licensure Committee
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
P. O. Box 202072
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2072
The Honorable Carl Metzgar
Republican Chair, Professional Licensure Committee
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
P. O. Box 202069
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2069
Dear Chairmen Burns and Metzgar:
On behalf of over 230 member hospitals and health systems, The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) supports House Bills 2294 and 2295 sponsored by Representative Arvind Venkat. This legislation seeks to streamline administrative requirements by changing the definition of a ‘primary supervising physician’ to more easily allow physician assistants (PA) to work with both allopathic (MD) physicians and osteopathic (DO) physicians.
Pennsylvania’s health care workforce shortage consistently ranks among the worst in the nation. HAP supports every effort to remove any requirement that may impede a well-qualified provider’s ability to care for patients. Regulatory burden can slow—or, in worst-case scenarios, prevent—a medical professional’s ability to treat patients. In hospital settings, PAs often work with both MDs and DOs. Their supervising physicians must be licensed by the same board that the PA is licensed under. Therefore, if the PA is working with an MD, their supervising physician must be licensed by the medical board. In turn, if the PA is working with a DO, their supervising physician must be licensed by the osteopathic board.
We can do better. The reasons behind the chronic workforce shortage are complex and will require sustained consideration and investment. We appreciate your partnership in that work.
These bills offer a timely, common-sense step in the right direction. On behalf of the hospital community, we respectfully ask that you support and urge your caucuses to vote yes on House Bill 2294 and House Bill 2295.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me at HTyler@HAPonline.org or (717) 433-1997.
Sincerely,
Heather Tyler
Vice President, State Legislative Advocacy
c: The Honorable Arvind Venkat, Members of the House Professional Licensure Committee
This letter was updated on June 26, 2024.
Download
Topics: State Advocacy, Workforce
Revision Date: 6/10/2024
Return to Previous Page