FAQs

  • A.7988 (Paulin)/S.7981 (Rivera): Relates to the performance of medical services by physician assistants; provides that a physician assistant may practice without the supervision of a physician when such physician assistant is employed by a health system or hospital and is credentialed and given privileges by such health system or hospital, or when such physician assistant is licensed, has practiced for more than 6,000 hours, is practicing in primary care, and is performing certain functions.

  • No! A New York State PA license already allows PAs to see any patient of any age, in any setting, and in any specialty. This bill will remove arbitrary administrative and regulatory barriers and allow PAs to care for our patients to the full extent of our existing scope and appropriate to our education, training, knowledge, and experience. PAs are not seeking “independent practice.” We reaffirm our commitment to team-based practice by ensuring that decisions on how PAs practice are made at the practice level rather than by rigid state laws.

  • New York faces a growing healthcare workforce shortage, and Physician Associates (PAs) are a key part of the solution. PAs already expand access to care across the state — 40% of primary care PAs practice in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) compared to 36% of primary care physicians.

    Removing the tether to physicians allows experienced PAs to be hired more easily and provide the care patients need, especially in hospitals, clinics, and rural communities where recruiting physicians can be challenging. Outdated supervision rules slow hiring and limit flexibility, even when qualified PAs are available to serve.

    With 29 PA programs — the most in the nation — New York continues to educate highly skilled professionals ready to fill critical workforce gaps. Allowing PAs to practice to the full extent of their training encourages them to stay and work in New York, strengthening the healthcare system for years to come.

    Job growth for PAs is projected to rise by 28% by 2033, far faster than average, making them an essential part of New York’s plan to meet growing healthcare demands.

  • Research confirms PAs provide high-quality care, have similar health outcomes as physicians, focus on preventive health, and significantly reduce healthcare costs. PAs are educated and licensed to see patients in every age group, in every clinical setting and in every clinical discipline.

    On top of that, 40% of primary care PAs work in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) across the state.

    Studies show that 91% of patients feel PAs are part of the solution to addressing the shortage of healthcare providers. 

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Executive Order 202 and Executive Order 4 were implemented to allow PAs to practice without the requirement of physician supervision. The Executive Orders were necessary to remove the administrative barriers limiting the ability of PAs to care for patients during a health crisis. The authority granted by the Executive Orders expanded access to care and provided health systems a valuable tool by allowing PAs to deploy nimbly.

     A review of data from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) for the last six years shows no change in the number of reports processed against PAs for the period the Executive Orders were in place.