State Overview: Kansas

Prior authorization requirements are up to the discretion of the state Medicaid program or insurance company.

Kansas credentials two types of addiction counselors. A Licensed Addiction Counselor requires a bachelor's degree, completed relevant education courses and have 400 hours of experience. A Clinical Addiction Counselor requires a master's degree, completed relevant education courses and 3,000 hours of post-degree supervised experience. Kan. Stat. Ann. §65-6610 and Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board

Licensed mental health counselors assist an individual or a group through counseling, assessment, consultation and referral and includes the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders as authorized under the professional counselors licensure act. Kan. Stat. Ann. §65-5802

The certification for peer mentoring is administered by the Behavioral Health Services Commission with the Department for Aging and Disability Services. The standards include age, training and recovery requirements for peer mentoring qualifications.

Full independent practice and prescriptive authority.

Each advanced practice registered nurse in the role of nurse midwife shall function in an advanced role through the application of advanced skills and knowledge of women's health care through the life span.

Any advanced practice registered nurse may prescribe durable medical equipment; prescribe, procure, and administer any drug consistent with the licensee's specific role and population focus, except any drug that is intended to cause an abortion; and prescribe, procure, or administer any drug that is a controlled substance in accordance with the uniform controlled substances act as specified in Kan. Stat. Ann. 65-4101, and amendments thereto Kan. Admin. Regs. §60-11-104(a)

Full independent practice and prescriptive authority.

Each APRN in the role of NP shall function in an advanced role at a specialized level, through the application of advanced knowledge and skills and shall be authorized to provide health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention, independent nursing diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases.

Any APRN may prescribe durable medical equipment; prescribe, procure, and administer any drug consistent with the licensee's specific role and population focus, except any drug that is intended to cause an abortion; and prescribe, procure, or administer any drug that is a controlled substance in accordance with the uniform controlled substances act as specified in Kan. Stat. Ann. 65-4101, and amendments thereto Kan. Admin. Regs. §60-11-104(a)

Kansas has not codified language around POLST. Only physicians may sign transportable physician orders for patient preference (TPOPP) forms. Please see the Kansas Medical Society website for more information.

NPs are not recognized in state policy as primary care providers.

Optometrists may only perform procedures related to foreign body removal and the examination, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of the human eye. Additional allowable procedures are authorized by statute. Kan. Stat. Ann. §65-1501

Optometrists may not administer medication through injection. Kan. Stat. Ann §65-1501

Optometrists may prescribe, administer or dispense topical pharmaceutical drugs and oral drugs for the examination, diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions. Kan. Stat. Ann. §65-1501(3)

Under the Extended Care Permit I, II and III provisions a dental hygienist who meets certain experience requirements as outlined by statute and who enters into an agreement with a sponsoring dentist may provide services without the prior authorization of a dentist to populations with limited access to oral health care in specific settings (e.g., schools, Head Start programs, state correctional institutions, local health departments, indigent care clinics, adult care homes, etc.). Kan. Stat. Ann. §65-1456

Statute does not identify dental therapists as an oral health provider.

Kansas does not explicitly allow for the practice of teledentistry.

Kansas has not enacted legislation allowing pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the federal PREP Act allowed pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine through the duration of the public health emergency.

Kansas does not allow pharmacists to modify prescriptions.

Kansas does not allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives.

Kansas does not allow pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation aids.

Supervision by a physician required for practice and prescriptive authority.

The practice of a PA shall include medical services within the education, training and experience of the PA that are delegated by the supervising physician. PAs practice in a dependent role with a supervising physician and may perform those duties and responsibilities through delegated authority or written agreement. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-28a08(a),(b)(1)

A PA may prescribe drugs pursuant to a written agreement as authorized by the supervising physician. The board shall adopt rules and regulations governing the prescribing of drugs by PAs and the responsibilities of the supervising physician with respect thereto. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-28a08(b),(d)(2),(e),(f)

Any PA may orally, telephonically, electronically, or in writing prescribe a controlled substance listed in schedule III, IV, or V, or a prescription-only drug not listed in any schedule as a controlled substance in the same manner as that in which the PA may perform acts that constitute the practice of medicine and surgery. Kan. Admin. Regs. § 100-28a-13

Statute limits the number of PAs a physician may supervise.

Each supervising physician shall determine the number of PAs under the supervising physician's supervision. The supervising physician shall use professional judgment regarding that individual's ability to adequately supervise each physician assistant.

A supervising physician shall not supervise more than a total of three PAs who provide services at a different practice location without the prior approval of the board. A supervising physician shall not under any circumstances supervise more than five PAs who provide services at a different practice location. Kan. Admin. Regs. § 100-28a-17

Chart co-signatures are required by statute to practice or prescribe as a PA.

The supervising physician shall develop and implement a written method for evaluating whether the PA has performed patient services constituting the practice of medicine and surgery with professional competence and with reasonable skill and safety.

1. In the first 30 days, of the supervising physician-PA supervisory relationship, the supervising physician shall review and authenticate all medical records of each patient evaluated or treated by the PA within seven (7) days of the date the PA evaluated or treated the patient.
2. After the first 30 days of the supervising physician-PA supervisory relationship, the supervising physician shall document the periodic review and evaluation of the PA's performance which may include the review of patient records. Kan. Admin. Regs. § 100-28a-10(b)

Statute does not allow adaptable proximity.

"Supervision" means oversight by a supervising physician or a substitute supervising physician of delegated medical services that may be performed by a physician assistant. The types of supervision shall include direct supervision, indirect supervision, and off-site supervision.

"Direct supervision" means a type of supervision in which the supervising physician or substitute supervising physician is physically present at the site of patient care and capable of immediately providing direction or taking over care of the patient. "Indirect supervision" means a type of supervision in which the supervising physician or substitute supervising physician can be physically present at the site of patient care within 15 minutes to provide direct supervision. "Off-site supervision" means a type of supervision in which the supervising physician or substitute supervising physician is not physically present at the site of patient care but is immediately available by means of telephonic or electronic communication. "Substitute supervising physician" means each physician designated by prior arrangement pursuant to K.S.A. 65- 28a09, and amendments thereto, to provide supervision to the PA if the supervising physician is temporarily unavailable. Kan. Admin. Regs. § 100-28a-1a(c),(e)-(f),(h),(i)

A PA may perform medical services within the education, training and experience of the supervising physician and as delegated by the physician. Authority may be given through a written agreement. Services may be performed in any setting authorized by the supervising physician. Kan. Stat. Ann. §65-28a08