A bill that would have allowed non-physician practitioners to work independent of physician supervision met defeat in the Florida Senate this month.

House Bill 821 sought to grant autonomy to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who meet certain criteria to practice advanced or specialized nursing without physician supervision, and to authorize PAs to practice primary care without physician supervision. Florida, which currently ranks 41st in access to health care and affordability, allowed the cost-effective measure to die in Health Policy, and it is now considered indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration.

However, the fight is long from over.

Brandon Miller, legislative assistant to bill sponsor, State Rep. Cary Pigman (R-55), is quoted as saying, “We’ll try again for the 2020 legislative session.”

Currently, there are 22 states that have granted full practice authority to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, and 18 states have adopted barrier reduction measures.

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