2015 Physician Assistant Modernization Act

On June 4, 2018, the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners in consultation with the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee adopted regulations pertaining to the 2015 Physician Assistant Modernization Act.  An important take-away from the enacted regulation is that a Physician Assistant licensed in New Jersey who engages in clinical practice shall be covered by medical malpractice liability insurance in the sum of $1 million per occurrence and $3 million per policy year.  This liability insurance provides a limit of liability that is not shared with anyone else or an entity.

The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance have notified New Jersey medical professional liability insurance carriers that the insurance carriers may no longer allow physician assistants to share a corporate entity limit or share a limit with an individual insured with a solo corporation.  This change takes effect immediately.

In August 2019, the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee’s rule proposal implementing the PA Modernization Act, was published in the New Jersey Register. The comment period expired October 20, 2017. Attached for consideration, is a draft adoption notice for the Physician Assistant’s scope of practice rule proposal and copies of the comments that have been received, to date.

It is our understanding that most insurance carriers have scheduled physician assistants with Separate Limits going forward at policy renewal, which incurs a charge for premium.

If your Medical Malpractice Carrier in New Jersey is not currently adhering to the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance notification to all New Jersey medical professional liability insurance carriers, then this warrants some serious consideration of the practices of that particular insurance carrier.

You can confidentially contact us to review your current Malpractice Insurance policy and see how we can protect you and save you money!