By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The Iowa legislature has sent the governor a bill that would likely expand the number of physician assistants practicing in Iowa, by creating a path to a multi-state license.

If the bill becomes law, Iowa will enter a compact next year that would let P.A.s licensed in 14 states practice in any of those states. The neighboring states of Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin will be part of the compact.

Senator Kara Warme of Ames said this kind of a reciprocal licensing arrangement is already available for doctors, nurses and mental health professionals. “We all know the extensive need that we have in our state for medical providers and this licensure compact is one way to meet some of those needs, allowing easier access to telehealth medicine or to practicing across state lines in our border communities,” Warme said during Senate debate of the bill.

Representative Austin Baeth of Des Moines, a physician, spoke during House debate. “This is a good bill,” Baeth said. “We know from experience in other health care licensure compacts that this is typically a net win for Iowa in gaining more health care professionals to help patch in our shortages.”

According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, there are over 1300 P.A.s licensed to practice medicine in Iowa  and over half of them are working in rural areas. Two years ago, Governor Reynolds signed a law that removed the requirement that a  P.A. be supervised by a doctor in order to practice medicine in Iowa.