45 places PAs have full prescriptive authority & the 6 states they don't

The scope of physician assistants' practice can be highly controversial, with prescriptive authority varying across states.  

PAs have full prescriptive authority in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., according to the Kaiser Family Foundation and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Data is pulled from Barton Associates' Interactive Physician Assistant Scope of Practice Law Guide. Full prescriptive authority refers to whether PA prescriptive authority is determined at the practice level by the supervising physician.

45 places PAs have full prescriptive authority: 

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

Wyoming

6 states where PAs don't have full prescriptive authority: 

Arkansas — PAs are not authorized to prescribe Schedule II medications.

Georgia — PAs are not authorized to prescribe Schedule II medications.

Kentucky — PAs may not prescribe or administer Schedule II medications.

Missouri — PAs are not authorized to prescribe Schedule II medications.

Oklahoma — Board defines scope prescriptions PA may prescribe.

West Virginia — Full prescriptive authority pending; to become effective July 8.

Editor's note: This article was updated with new information for Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine and West Virginia on June 7 at 9 am. 

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