Physician Assistant General Information 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law prohibits PA programs from discriminating against applicants based on disability?
- HIPAA
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Both B and C (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both B and C
Both the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in educational programs.
Question 2: A PA working in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) is typically covered under which federal liability protection?
- State Medical Malpractice Fund
- Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) (Correct answer)
- Private malpractice insurance only
- ERISA preemption
Correct answer: Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA)
PAs employed by FQHCs are deemed federal employees and covered under the FTCA for malpractice liability.
Question 3: What does the term 'opt-out' mean in the context of PA Medicare billing?
- The PA chooses not to accept Medicare patients
- The PA privately contracts outside Medicare reimbursement rules (Correct answer)
- The PA bills at a reduced Medicare rate
- The PA delegates billing to the supervising physician
Correct answer: The PA privately contracts outside Medicare reimbursement rules
An opt-out provider enters private contracts with patients and cannot submit claims to Medicare for those services.
Question 4: Under Medicare, PAs are reimbursed at what percentage of the physician fee schedule when billing independently?
- 75%
- 80%
- 85% (Correct answer)
- 90%
Correct answer: 85%
Medicare reimburses PAs at 85% of the physician fee schedule when billing under their own NPI.
Question 5: Which accrediting body oversees PA educational programs in the United States?
- NCCPA
- AAPA
- ARC-PA (Correct answer)
- LCME
Correct answer: ARC-PA
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) accredits PA programs.
Question 6: A PA who prescribes a controlled substance without DEA registration is violating which federal law?
- HIPAA
- Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (Correct answer)
- Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
- Stark Law
Correct answer: Controlled Substances Act (CSA)
The Controlled Substances Act requires all prescribers of scheduled drugs to have a valid DEA registration number.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'incident-to' billing for PAs?
- PA bills under their own NPI at 85% of the fee schedule
- PA services are billed under the physician's NPI at 100% of the fee schedule (Correct answer)
- PA bills Medicare directly for hospital services
- PA uses a shared billing code with the facility
Correct answer: PA services are billed under the physician's NPI at 100% of the fee schedule
Incident-to billing allows PA services to be billed under a physician's NPI at 100% of the fee schedule when specific criteria are met in an outpatient setting.
Physician Assistant General Information 3
Which federal law prohibits PA programs from discriminating against applicants based on disability?