BILL REQ. #:  S-3853.1 

Read first time 01/20/12.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to authorizing physician assistants to perform opthalmic-related services under employment or supervision by a medical doctor or an osteopathic physician; and amending RCW 18.71A.060.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 18.71A.060 and 1994 sp.s. c 9 s 324 are each amended to read as follows:
     No health care services may be performed under this chapter in any of the following areas:
     (1) ((The measurement of the powers or range of human vision, or the determination of the accommodation and refractive state of the human eye or the scope of its functions in general, or the fitting or adaptation of lenses or frames for the aid thereof.
     (2) The prescribing or directing the use of, or using, any optical device in connection with ocular exercises, visual training, vision training, or orthoptics.
     (3) The prescribing of contact lenses for, or the fitting or adaptation of contact lenses to, the human eye.
     (4) Nothing in this section shall preclude the performance of routine visual screening.
     (5))) The practice of dentistry or dental hygiene as defined in chapters 18.32 and 18.29 RCW respectively. The exemptions set forth in RCW 18.32.030 (1) and (8)((,)) shall not apply to a physician assistant.
     (((6))) (2) The practice of chiropractic as defined in chapter 18.25 RCW including the adjustment or manipulation of the articulations of the spine.
     (((7))) (3) The practice of podiatric medicine and surgery as defined in chapter 18.22 RCW.