Healthcare Access Plan
Have you had difficulty making an appointment to see your primary care provider or worse yet, a specialist? Was the next available appointment 3 months away? 6 months? Longer?
Update supervisory requirements for experienced PAs.
New York’s healthcare laws haven’t been updated in decades. The PA Modernization Act (A.7988/S.7981) is a bipartisan bill that removes outdated barriers so Physician Associates (PAs) can better serve patients across the state.
The bill improves access to care, strengthens healthcare teams, and ensures New Yorkers can see a qualified provider when and where they need one.
Each year, NYSSPA develops a Legislative Plan to outline our advocacy priorities and guide our efforts at the state level. This plan reflects the collective voice of New York’s PAs and PA students, focusing on legislation that impacts our profession, our patients, and the future of healthcare in our state.
Our goal is to work collaboratively with lawmakers, regulatory bodies, and key stakeholders to advance policies that support PA practice, improve patient access to care, and protect the integrity of our profession. Our legislative priorities are driven by what matters most to our members — and the communities we serve.
NYSSPA advocates for policies that strengthen healthcare access, protect patients, and empower PAs to deliver the care New Yorkers deserve.
The PA Modernization Act (A.7988/S.7981) is the legislation advancing these changes.
Here’s how it becomes law in New York:
You deserve a say in your care, take action now
Ensure that PAs continue to work as part of healthcare teams.
Current proposed legislation in NYS (Bill A.7988/S.7981) would allow PAs to work without physician supervision: (1) where the PA is employed by an Article 28 entity regulated by the Department of Health, provided the PA meets the qualifications and credentialing requirements of the Article 28 entity; or (2) where the PA has 6,000 hours of practice and is performing certain specified functions.
We know that PAs practice medicine as part of the healthcare team! This bill does not increase PA scope of practice; it simply makes it easier to deploy a PA as part of that team to better treat our patients.