HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2832

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by House Committee On:

Health Care & Wellness

Title: An act relating to physician limited licenses.

Brief Description: Concerning physician limited licenses.

Sponsors: Representatives Tharinger and Riccelli; by request of Department of Health.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Health Care & Wellness: 2/2/16, 2/3/16 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Allows the Medical Quality Assurance Commission to grant full licenses to holders of limited teaching-research licenses.

  • Removes the two-year renewal limit on limited fellowship licenses.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE & WELLNESS

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Riccelli, Vice Chair; Schmick, Ranking Minority Member; Harris, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Clibborn, DeBolt, Jinkins, Johnson, Moeller, Robinson, Rodne, Short, Tharinger and Van De Wege.

Staff: Jim Morishima (786-7191).

Background:

The Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC) licenses and disciplines allopathic physicians. A physician who graduates from a medical school within the United States or Canada must meet a variety of qualifications, including:

The MQAC may issue a limited license without examination to persons who meet certain qualifications. For example:

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Summary of Bill:

The holder of a teaching-research license is eligible for full licensure if he or she:

The prohibition against a fellowship license being renewed for more than two years is eliminated. Teaching-research licensees and fellowship licensees may be nominated by any accredited medical school in Washington.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) There is a huge access and workforce issue in health care. This bill will help expand the health care work force. The current two-year limit on fellowship licenses creates a hardship for physicians trying to complete their training. The bill creates a path to full licensure for holders of teaching-research licenses, which will enable them to practice outside the geographic limitations of their teaching-research licenses. This change has been made in other states, which puts our state at a recruiting disadvantage. This bill will help recruit top notch individual into fellowships and teaching positions and will expand access to services in rural areas. The bill also makes a technical fix to account for the second medical school being opened in Washington.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Tharinger, prime sponsor; Micah Mathews, Washington Medical Commission; and Ian Goodhew, University of Washington Medicine.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.