News Central

On November 1, Arkansas’ fee-for-service Medicaid program enacted several changes to the way it recognizes physician associates/assistants (PAs). One of the most substantial changes establishes Arkansas as the 50th state to authorize PAs to enroll as rendering providers in the Arkansas Medicaid program.

Adding to a year of major legislative wins, Pennsylvania has officially become the 30th state in the PA Licensure Compact with Governor Josh Shapiro's signature of HB 1961 (Act 76)!

Recent federal court decisions reinforce the central argument in AAPA and PAEA’s legal challenge against the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) restrictive definition of "professional degree" for federal student loan purposes.

This PA Week (October 6-12), leaders from across the country took time to celebrate the more than 200,000 PAs who care for patients each day. In total, 26 governors, mayors, and other officials issued PA Week proclamations, a significant increase from the number of proclamations received in 2025, formally recognizing the PA profession and its contributions to healthcare.

During PA Week, physician associates volunteered their time to participate in AAPA’s Project Access initiative, visiting middle and high schools in four major metropolitan areas. In partnership with the CARES Mentoring Movement, volunteers gave insight into the PA profession, shared their experiences, and taught basic first aid techniques that the students replicated with their classmates.