Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Health Care & Wellness Committee
HB 1073
Brief Description: Concerning medical assistants.
Sponsors: Representatives Harris, Tharinger, Ryu, Leavitt, Macri, Caldier, Santos and Ormsby.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Extends the expiration of a medical assistant-certified interim permit to the issuance of a medical assistant-certified certification.
  • Allows a medical assistant-certified who has completed medical assistant-phlebotomist training and applied for the medical assistant-phlebotomist credential to work as a medical assistant-phlebotomist under supervision while the application is being processed. 
  • Allows a medical assistant-certified to administer intravenous injections for diagnostic or therapeutic agents under the supervision of a health care practitioner if certain minimum standards are met.
Hearing Date: 1/20/23
Staff: Emily Poole (786-7106).
Background:

The Department of Health licenses several different types of medical assistants, including medical assistants-certified and medical assistants-phlebotomist.


Certification.
A person meets the qualifications for certification as a medical assistant-certified if they satisfactorily complete a medical assistant training program approved by the Secretary of Health (Secretary), pass an examination approved by the Secretary, and meet any additional qualifications established by the Secretary in rule.  A person who has completed the other requirements but has not passed the examination may practice as a medical assistant-certified under an interim permit.  The permit expires upon passage of the examination or after one year, whichever occurs first, and may not be renewed.


A person meets the qualifications for certification as a medical assistant-phlebotomist if they meet the qualifications adopted by the Secretary in rule.


Supervision of Medical Assistants-Certified.
A medical assistant-certified may perform authorized duties only when delegated by, and under the supervision of, a health care practitioner.  For tasks requiring supervision, the supervising health care practitioner must generally be physically present and immediately available in the facility.  When administering intravenous injections for diagnostic or therapeutic agents, a medical assistant-certified must be under the direct visual supervision of a health care practitioner and meet certain minimum standards established by the Secretary in rule.
Summary of Bill:

Certification.

An interim permit for a medical assistant-certified expires upon passage of the examination and issuance of a certification, or after one year, whichever occurs first.


A medical assistant-certified who has completed medical assistant-phlebotomist training and has applied for medical assistant-phlebotomist certification may work as a medical assistant-phlebotomist under supervision while the application is being processed.


Supervision of Medical Assistants-Certified.
A medical assistant-certified may administer intravenous injections for diagnostic or therapeutic agents under the supervision of a health care practitioner if the medical assistant-certified meets minimum standards established by the Secretary in rule.  Direct visual supervision is not required for the administration of such injections.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.