Physician assistants and podiatrists.

(1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Podiatric Medical Board of California to license and regulate podiatrists. Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Physician Assistant Board to license and regulate physician assistants. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing those boards on January 1, 2026, and specifies the repeal of those provisions renders those boards subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. This bill would extend the operation of those boards until January 1, 2030. Existing law requires the board to regulate physician assistant training programs, including, among other things, through establishing guidelines for their approval and setting fees to be paid by them. This bill would remove the above-described requirements and authorizations relating to the board's regulation of physician assistant training programs. (2) Existing law makes a physician assistant licensed by the board eligible for employment or supervision by a physician and surgeon, as specified. Existing law prohibits a physician and surgeon from supervising more than 4 physician assistants at any one time, except under certain conditions. Among those exceptions, existing law authorizes a physician and surgeon to supervise up to 8 physician assistants if the physician assistants are focused solely on performing in-home health evaluations for specified purposes. This bill would increase the number of physician assistants whom a physician and surgeon may supervise at any one time to 8. The bill would make conforming changes, including removing the above-described exception for in-home health evaluations. (3) Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to use certain terms or letters indicating or implying that a person is a doctor of podiatric medicine without holding a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate to practice podiatric medicine. This bill would include in those provisions the use of the term "podiatric surgeon." The bill would state that it is the policy of this state that a doctor of podiatric medicine shall be classified or treated as a doctor of podiatric medicine and shall not be classified or treated as an ancillary provider or other allied health professional in any health care setting or insurance reimbursement structure for any purpose. (4) Existing law requires the Podiatric Medical Board of California to issue a certificate to practice podiatric medicine by credentialing if an applicant has submitted to the board from the credentialing organization verification that they are licensed as a doctor of podiatric medicine in any other state if the applicant has passed specified examinations, and requires the applicant to have passed those examinations within the past 10 years. This bill would delete the requirement that the applicant pass those examinations within the past 10 years. Existing law establishes specified fees applicable to certificates to practice podiatric medicine, including a biennial renewal fee of $1,318, a $100 fee for a duplicate wall certificate, a $50 for a duplicate renewal receipt fee, and a $30 endorsement fee. This bill would increase the biennial renewal fee to $1,900 would instead establish a $100 fee for a duplicate certificate, and would delete the duplicate renewal receipt and endorsement fees. (5) Existing law establishes various fees for physician assistants, including a $25 application fee, a $250 initial license fee, a $300 biennial license renewal fee, a $25 delinquency fee, and a $10 fee for a letter of endorsement, letter of standing, or letter of verification of licensure. This bill would instead establish a $60 application fee, a $250 initial license fee, a $300 biennial license renewal fee, a $75 delinquency fee, and a $50 fee for a letter of endorsement, letter of good standing, or letter of verification of licensure. The bill would authorize the board to increase the application fee to not more than $80, the initial license fee to not more than $500, and the biennial license renewal fee to not more than $500. (6) Under existing law, a physician assistant license expires at 12 midnight of the last day of the birth month of the licensee during the 2nd year of a 2-year term if not renewed. Existing law requires a licensee, in order to renew a license, to apply for renewal on a form provided by the board, as specified. This bill would instead require that the above-described renewal applications be made on an electronic form, or other form, provided by the board. The bill would require an application form to contain a legal verification by the applicant certifying under penalty of perjury that the information provided by the applicant is true and correct. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (7) This bill would correct cross-references and make other technical changes to the Physician Assistant Practice Act and the provisions of the Medical Practice Act applicable to podiatrists. (8) The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that a comprehensive review of practice agreements structures be undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders and, in that regard, would authorize the Physician Assistant Board to collaborate, as appropriate, with the Legislature and other stakeholders to inform future policy discussions through existing processes and expertise. (9) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.