New Mexico Medical Board Adopts Improved PA Practice Rules

New Mexico PAs have cause to celebrate after the New Mexico Medical Board adopted updated rules which implement legislation enacted in April of 2017. The legislation allows primary care PAs with three or more years of clinical practice experience to move into a collaborative relationship with a physician. Among other provisions, the updated rules, which became effective on January 16, 2018, will also:

• Clarify that PAs collaborating with a physician may practice within their own scope, based on their education, training, and experience;
• Clarify that physicians collaborating with PAs do not assume legal responsibility for care provided by a PA; and
• Remove language stating that PAs may not submit a separate bill to a patient.

AAPA submitted comments in support of the rules at the New Mexico Academy of PAs’ request, and the rules were adopted by the Board with no opposition. Paired with the collaboration law, the new rules are expected to increase patient access to care in New Mexico, particularly in the state’s rural and frontier areas.

For more information on the new language or PA practice in New Mexico, contact Erika Miller, director, constituent organization outreach and advocacy.