|
|
|||
|
 |
||
|
| |||
Update!!! The Governor signs into law Senate Bills 26, 27 & 28 expanding access to care for patients by allowing physicians to form professional corporations with Physician Assistants (PAs).
The new laws, Public Acts 124, 125 & 126 of 2010 add PAs to the list of professionals able to form professional corporations (PC) and professional limited liability corporations (PLLC), and clarifies that physicians and PAs can enter into these businesses together. Recently, Michigan has been deferring applications for these businesses pending clarification by the legislature. “This is a major step forward for Michigan PAs and patients,” said Suzanne York, PA-C, president of the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants (MAPA). “It places into law a much needed definition of a PA's role in the business aspects of health care delivery and builds upon the PA/physician team practice concept that is critical to quality patient care." These types of business arrangements were approved for over a decade, and remain in existence throughout the country. MAPA, under the leadership of Phil Schafer, along with Senator Tony Stamas, the Department of Labor & Economic Growth, and the Department of Community Health worked together to create the legislation to remove the barriers to keeping practices open as physician numbers decline. It is hoped that this clarification in law will allow physician practices to remain open as Michigan faces a looming physician shortage. PAs stand ready to ensure that our future residents are afforded access to quality, cost-effective health care. Michigan faces a looming physician shortage of 4,000 to 6,000 primary care doctors within the next 15 years, about 12 percent fewer than required to meet the demand, compared to a projected national shortage of nearly 8 percent. To view the bills, go to: Senate Bill 26 (PA 124 of 2010): http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(gt4ap355s3cp54554kp3lj55))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=2009-SB-0026 Senate Bill 27 (PA 125 of 2010): http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(gt4ap355s3cp54554kp3lj55))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2009-SB-0027 Senate Bill 28 (PA 126 of 2010): http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(gt4ap355s3cp54554kp3lj55))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2009-SB-0028 MAPA is the fundamental resource for the PA profession and the primary advocate for Michigan PAs and their patients. For more information on MAPA, please visitwww.michiganpa.org, or for more information on physician assistants and practice ownership, please visithttp://www.aapa.org/images/stories/Advocacy-issue-briefs/practiceown.pdf.
|
|||