State Overview: Utah

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

Utah credentials two types of addiction counselors. A Substance Use Disorder Counselor requires, at minimum, an associate degree or higher, completion of relevant education courses and 2,000 hours of experience. An Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor requires, at minimum, a bachelor's degree, completion of relevant education courses and 4,000 hours of experience. Utah Code Ann. §58-60-5 and Utah Substance Use Disorder Counselor Licensing Board

Clinical mental health counselors observe, evaluate, interpret, and treat patients to help modify human behavior to prevent, treat or eliminate mental or emotional illness or dysfunction. Diagnostic ability is not outlined in statute. Utah Code Ann. §58-60-402

The certification and training requirements for peer support specialists and child/family peer support specialists are developed by the Utah Department of Human Services' Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. The comprehensive certification standards include minimum qualifications, continuing education and employment requirements. Utah Admin. Code §523-5 and Utah Admin. Code §523-6

Full independent practice but physician relationship for some prescriptive authority.

NMs may practice within the generally recognized scope and standards of advanced practice registered nursing as defined by rule and consistent with professionally recognized preparation and education standards of an advanced practice registered nurse. NMs must have a safe mechanism for obtaining medical consultation, collaboration and referral with one more consulting physicians who have agreed to consult, collaborate and receive referrals, but who are not require to sign a written document regarding the agreement. There is a "Intrapartum Referral Plan" which is written out by the nurse midwife describing the guidelines for consulting, collaborating and referral.

A NM may prescribe drugs, devices and Schedule II-V controlled substances. Must prescribe Schedules II and III in accordance with consultation and referral plan. Utah Code Ann. §58-44a-102

Full independent practice and prescriptive authority.

NPs may practice within the generally recognized scope and standards of advanced practice registered nursing as defined by rule and consistent with professionally recognized preparation and education standards of an advanced practice registered nurse. Utah Code Ann. §58-31b-102(11) 

A NP may prescribe drugs, devices and Schedule II-V controlled substances. In order to prescribe Schedule II substances, an APRN must have 30 credit hours of advanced pharmacology, at least seven continuing education hours pertaining to prescribing opioids and has a mentorship with a physician or APRN with more than three years of experience. Once an APRN has been licensed for more than a year or has at least 2,000 clinical hours, the APRN will no longer need to meet the above requirements. Utah Code Ann. §58-31b-803

NPs are authorized to sign POLST forms if under the supervision of a physician. Utah Code Ann. §75-2a-106

NPs are recognized in policy as primary care providers. Primary care physician services may be provided directly by licensed physicians or osteopaths, or by licensed certified nurse practitioners, or physician assistants under appropriate supervision of the physician or osteopath, but not including pregnancy related or mental health services by any of the listed providers. Utah Admin. Code §414-29-2

Full independent practice authority; no prescriptive authority.

Utah opted out of the CRNA federal supervision requirement for critical access hospitals and specified rural hospitals in 2022.

CRNAs may practice within the generally recognized scope and standards of advanced practice registered nursing as defined by rule and consistent with professionally recognized preparation and education standards of an advanced practice registered nurse. Utah Code Ann. §58-31b-102(11)

Utah does not allow for CRNA prescriptive authority. Utah Code Ann. §58-31b-803

Optometrists may only perform procedures related to foreign body removal and the examination, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of the human eye. Additional allowable procedures may be authorized by statute and/or rule. Utah Code Ann. §58-16a-102

Optometrists may administer pharmaceutical agents for the eye as well as administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Utah Code Ann. §58-16a-601

Optometrists may prescribe Schedule III-V controlled substances and Schedule II controlled substances containing hydrocodone combinations. Utah Code Ann. §58-16a-601

A dental hygienist may treat patients in specified public health settings pursuant to a written agreement with a dentist. Appropriate provider services are all general supervision preventive functions in a dental hygienist's scope of practice.

Certain exceptions apply: dental hygienists may practice without general supervision or a collaborative practice agreement if they meet certain requirements and are practicing in a public health setting. Utah Code Ann. §58-69-801

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

Dental professionals may use live video and store-and-forward technologies to provide services through teledentistry. The standard of dental care a licensed dental professional provides through teledentistry is the same as services provided in a traditional physical setting. A dentist may not conduct a dental examination using teledentistry if the standard of care necessitates a traditional physical dental examination. Utah Code Ann. §58-69-802

Utah 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.

Utah allows pharmacists to modify prescriptions.

Pharmacists may substitute prescriptions with therapeutically similar drug products. Utah Code Ann. §58-17b-605

A pharmacist may prescribe and dispense a self-administered hormonal contraceptive to a patient who is 18 years old or older and pursuant to a standing prescription drug order by a physician. The pharmacist must refer the patient to a primary care or women's health care practitioner and may not continue to dispense a self-administered hormonal contraceptive to a patient for more than 24 months after the date of the initial prescription without evidence that the patient has consulted with a primary care or women's health care practitioner during the preceding 24 months. A pharmacist must provide the patient with educational materials and counseling. Utah Code Ann. §58-17b-102 and Utah Code Ann. §26B-4-506 

Pharmacists may prescribe drugs or devices intended to address smoking cessation if it is within their scope of practice. Utah Code Ann. §58-17b-627

Supervision or collaboration not required for practice or prescriptive authority.

A PA with less than 10,000 hours of post-graduate clinical practice experience shall: (a) practice under written policies and procedures established at the practice level that: (i) describe how collaboration will occur 2) and (3); (ii) describe methods for evaluating the PA's competency, knowledge, and skills. After 10,000 hours the physician shall consult, collaborate with, and refer to appropriate members of the health care team as indicated by the patient's condition and based on the PA's education, experience and competencies. Utaj Code Ann. §58-70a-501(2)-(3)

A PA may prescribe or administer an appropriate controlled substance that is within the PA's scope of practice if the PA holds a Utah controlled substance license and a DEA registration. Utah Code Ann. §58-70a-501(8)

Utah does not currently have any provisions related to the number of PAs a physician can supervise or collaborate with.

Utah does not currently have provisions related to chart review or chart co-signatures.

Statute allows adaptable proximity.

A PA with less than 10,000 hours of post-graduate clinical practice experience shall: (a) practice under written policies and procedures established at the practice level that: (i) describe how collaboration will occur in accordance with this section and Subsections 58-70a-501(2) and (3); (ii) describe methods for evaluating the PA's competency, knowledge, and skill. Utah Code Ann. §58-70a-307

A physician assistant may provide any medical services within their skills and scope of competence. A physician assistant must consult, collaborate with, and refer patients to appropriate members of the health care team. Utah Code Ann. §58-70a-501