USE OF ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.

(a) A contract to which this subchapter applies must require the contracting Medicaid managed care organization, notwithstanding any other law, including Sections 843.312 and 1301.052, Insurance Code, to:

(1) use advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants as primary care providers in addition to physicians to increase the availability of primary care providers in the organization's provider network; and

(2) treat advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants in the same manner as primary care physicians with regard to:

(A) selection and assignment as primary care providers;

(B) inclusion as primary care providers in the organization's provider network; and

(C) inclusion as primary care providers in any provider network directory the organization maintains.

(b) For purposes of this section, an advanced practice registered nurse may be included as a primary care provider in a Medicaid managed care organization's provider network regardless of whether the physician supervising the advanced practice registered nurse is in the provider network. This subsection may not be construed as authorizing a Medicaid managed care organization to supervise or control the practice of medicine as prohibited by Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code.