0DD6EAC1E9F514798725851C0013EE33 Hearing Summary

Senator Fields, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1041. Under current law, physician assistants are required to maintain professional liability insurance of at least $1.0 million per claim and $3.0 million for all claims. This bill repeals that requirement and requires that physician assistants who have been practicing for at least three years comply with the same financial responsibility requirements as physicians. This includes:

• having professional liability insurance coverage of at least $1.0 million per incident and $3.0 million annual aggregate per year;
• allowing the Medical Board to lower the financial requirements for physician assistants;
• mandating that physician assistants give the Medical Board evidence that they have met the requirements; and
• doubling the financial responsibility for any physician assistant that has committed medical malpractice twice in one year.

Peggy Walsh, Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants, testified in support of the bill. Committee questions followed.

Diana Protopapa, Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants, responded to questions from committee members.