A New Year Brings New State Legislative Sessions

All state legislatures will convene in 2025, and the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) expects that legislation related to scope of practice, Medicaid, telemedicine and artificial intelligence will be major topics of discussion.

Scope of Practice

Montana

Legislative Council 2876 would enjoin Montana into the physician assistant (PA) licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet their eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.

New York

Senate Bill (SB) 352 would allow PAs to engage in the use of fluoroscopy for guidance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

SB 684 would create a limited-scope radiographer license with the following requirements:
• A licensee would need to complete:
o A total of 80 hours of didactic content, including but not limited to radiographic anatomy, human physiology, radiation protection and medical terminology.
o A minimum of 240 hours of clinical training.
o Passing a standardized accreditation examination.
• A licensee would only be allowed to practice radiography on the chest, extremities, skull/sinus and spine/sacrum at urgent care centers.
• A licensee would not be permitted to use fluoroscopy or to inject intravenous contrast media.

North Dakota

SB 2108 would enjoin North Dakota into the PA licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet their eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.

South Carolina

SB 45 would grant Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) full practice authority. This bill would also permit nurse practitioners to engage in ionized fluoroscopy.

Texas
House Bill (HB) 1731 would enjoin Texas into the PA licensure compact. This compact allows PAs who meet their eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states.

Telemedicine

Missouri

HB 710 would make the following changes regarding telemedicine:
• A physician licensed in Missouri, who uses telemedicine and/or prescribes any drugs, controlled substances, or other treatment through telemedicine, must ensure that a properly established physician-patient relationship exists, and such a relationship may be established by:
o An in-person encounter through a medical elevation and physical examination.
o Consultation with another physician or physician’s delegate, who already has a relationship with the patient and has an agreement with the physician to participate.
o A telemedicine encounter if the standard of care does not require an in-person encounter.


For more information on these bills or any other state legislative matter, contact Dillon Harp, ACR Senior State Government Relations Specialist.