NEWS RELEASE: Waivers provide increased access to delivery of health care by assistant physicians and physician assistants

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Waivers provide increased access to delivery of health care by assistant physicians and physician assistants

Waiver granted at the request of the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts

Effective immediately, Governor Parson has approved the temporary waivers that will allow a collaborating physician and physician assistants (PAs) and/or assistant physicians (APs) to practice over seventy-five (75) miles of one another. A physician can collaborate with either of these professionals regardless of where the providers are located.

These waivers increase the ability of healthcare professionals to provide care to patients and reduces travel for both patients and providers, helping reduce the spread of the virus. This will allow our highly skilled and educated health professionals to provide care to our communities including using telehealth when they need it most.

“We appreciate the Governor granting our request to waive some of the regulatory barriers in order to allow our physicians, assistant physicians and physician assistants to collaborate in a way that allows them to treat the maximum number of patients while continuing to maintain the highest level of care,” said Connie Clarkston, Executive Director of the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts. “We appreciate the healthcare professionals who are serving on the front lines of this outbreak and are putting themselves at risk to save lives. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and recommend any additional actions necessary to assist our professionals as they work on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.”

This waiver, put in place in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, will be in effect until the expiration of the Governor’s Executive Order 20-02.

Statutes and Regulations affected by this waiver:

334.037.2(5)(b), RSMo
334.037.3(1), RSMo
20 CSR 2150-2.240(1)(A) and 20 CSR 2150-2.240(1)(B)
334.735.9(5)(b), RSMo
20 CSR 2150-7.135(8)(C)

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