Democratic State Senator Ed Hernandez says lifting restrictions on nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and optometrists will ensure the state has the staffing needed to see millions more patients under the Affordable Care Act next year.
HERNANDEZ: "This is absolutely not - let me say that again - This is absolutely not to replace physicians. This is to allow these professions to work in collaboration with physicians."
But physician groups say these bills do the opposite… by allowing mid-level providers to operate independently without physician oversight.
They say that could compromise patient safety and quality of care.
The bills move next to Senate Appropriations Committee.
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