PAs were granted authority to sign Home Health orders per federal law in the recent CARES Act, as long as the state allows PAs to provide such services. Section 3708 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Pub. L. No. 116-136) amended sections 1814(a) and 1835(a) of the Social Security Act to allow Physician Assistants (PAs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and certified Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) to certify beneficiaries for eligibility under the Medicare home health benefit and oversee their plan of care. This is a permanent change that will continue after the current Public Health Emergency.
The NC Medical Board recently confirmed that PAs in North Carolina may order home health services so long as the order of such services is included and consistent with the PA’s scope of practice as written in the supervisory arrangements per 21 NCAC 32S .0113.
NCAPA is working with the North Carolina Home and Hospice Association to communicate this change. NC Medicaid posted a special bulletin with the change and they are working to update clinical policies.
Visit the Medicare website for more general information on Home Health care.
