A new bill in the Rhode Island House of Representatives would regulate who may perform medical spa procedures. The bill’s lead sponsors are representatives Jacquelyn Baginski, Julie Casimiro and David Bennett, and it is known as House Bill 5844 (H 5844); you can read the bill in full here. Currently, H 5844 is with the House Health & Human Services Committee for consideration. However, the sponsors have twice requested the hearing for this bill to be postponed, which may signal some issues with it proceeding.
Currently, Rhode Island treats medical spa procedures as medical procedures and allows them to be performed by physicians, physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners. Registered nurses may be delegated a limited scope of these types of procedures, but they must be performed under supervision. H 5844 would create a new category of treatments called “cosmetic medical procedures.” This new category would include treatments aimed at improving appearance rather than promoting proper function of the body or treatment of disease. The definition goes on to list a number of examples, including microneedling, laser hair removal and skin resurfacing, intense pulsed light, injection of toxins and fillers, and Class II devices that alter the underlying tissue. Under H 5844, these treatments could only be performed by physicians, physician assistants and registered nurses who have training education in the procedures from a professional organization or institution of higher education. Prior to performing the procedure, these persons must provide an initial physical assessment of the patient. H 5844 would also require that the name and license information for anyone performing these treatments be provided in advertisements, posted in the office and provided to the patient.
We will be monitoring this H 5844 as it advances though the Rhode Island legislative process this year.