FILED ON: 11/23/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3870
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
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An Act to increase access to immunizations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Subsection (a) of section 9 of chapter 94C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following:-
A practitioner may cause an immunization to be administered under the practitioner’s direction by a certified medical assistant pursuant to section 265 of chapter 112.
SECTION 2. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 265. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
“Certified Medical Assistant”, an individual who: (i) is a graduate of a post-secondary medical assisting education program accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association, or its successor, the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, or its successor or such other certificate program as the commissioner of public health shall approve; provided, however, that any such program shall include specific training in the administration of immunizations; (ii) is employed in the medical practice of a licensed provider; and (iii) who performs basic administrative, clerical, and clinical duties upon the specific authorization and under the direct supervision of a licensed provider.
“Direct Supervision”, oversight of a certified medical assistant exercised by a provider who is present in the facility and immediately available to furnish assistance and direction throughout the course of the performance of a delegated procedure but is not required to be present in the room when the procedure is being performed.
“Provider”, a health care professional qualified under the laws of the commonwealth to provide general or specialized medical care and who supervises, coordinates, prescribes, or otherwise provides or proposes health care services. A provider may include a primary care provider or any other provider, including a specialist provider, who is qualified to authorize and direct a certified medical assistant to perform a delegated procedure, including administration of an immunization.
(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a provider acting within their designated scope of practice may delegate the administration of an immunization to a patient to a certified medical assistant.
(c) The department of public health shall promulgate regulations governing the administration of immunizations by certified medical assistants
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing the licensure of certified medical assistants.