14DFFA08BB2924F2872584FE0064F54F Hearing Summary

Representatives Cutter and McKean, bill sponsors, introduced House Bill 20-1041 to the committee.  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.

The sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Jean Martin, COPIC Insurance, testified regarding the bill.

Alyn Welchel, Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA), testified in favor of the bill.

Tiffany Knudsen, CAPA, made herself available for questions.

The previous panel of witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

The sponsors made closing comments on the bill.