Kansas collaborating physician requirements shifted fundamentally in 2022. Kansas is a full practice authority state for advanced practice registered nurses. Senate Substitute for House Bill 2279, signed by Governor Laura Kelly on April 15, 2022 and effective July 1, 2022, eliminated all references to physician supervision or collaboration requirements from the Kansas Nurse Practice Act, removed the concept of a responsible physician from the statute entirely, and authorized APRNs to prescribe medications, including controlled substances, without entering into a written prescribing protocol with a physician. That framework change is permanent and in full force in 2026.
For physicians seeking collaboration income in Kansas, the active statutory framework centers on physician assistants. PAs in Kansas still operate within a practice agreement structure with participating physicians, a structure that was itself significantly modernized in April 2026 with the signing of HB 2702. This guide covers the current state of collaboration requirements for both APRN and PA arrangements in Kansas, sourced directly from Kansas statutes, board rules, and the April 2026 legislative update.
Kansas Collaborating Physician Overview: Where Kansas Stands
Kansas became a full practice authority state for APRNs effective July 1, 2022. The Board of Nursing also eliminated mandatory collaborative practice agreements through its regulatory updates adopted in alignment with HB 2279. The two-track APRN collaboration system Kansas previously used, which required both a prescribing protocol and a collaborative practice agreement, was entirely dismantled.
Governing Bodies
Two regulatory bodies govern provider practice in Kansas:
- Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN): Governs APRN licensure, independent prescribing authority, malpractice insurance requirements, and continuing education standards under K.S.A. 65-1130 as amended.
- Kansas State Board of Healing Arts (KSBHA): Governs physician and PA licensure, PA practice agreement requirements, and disciplinary matters under the Kansas Healing Arts Act and the PA Practice Act.
The 2022 Legislative Context
Prior to HB 2279, Kansas law required physician involvement in two forms for APRNs: a written prescribing protocol with a responsible physician, and a collaborative practice agreement. HB 2279 specifically eliminated the written prescribing protocol requirement. The KSBN also eliminated mandatory collaborative practice agreements through its regulatory changes, consistent with the statutory direction that board rules must align with the amended statute. As of July 1, 2022, neither a prescribing protocol nor a collaborative practice agreement is required for Kansas APRNs to diagnose, treat, or prescribe.
NP Practice Authority in Kansas: What Full Practice Means for Physicians
Kansas APRNs now operate with the same prescribing and practice authority that previously required physician oversight. The statutory changes effective July 1, 2022 mean:
- Kansas APRNs may diagnose patients without physician involvement
- Kansas APRNs may prescribe legend drugs without a prescribing protocol
- Kansas APRNs may prescribe controlled substances in Schedules 2 through 5 without a physician agreement
- Kansas APRNs may operate independent practices and bill directly as primary care providers
The one new prohibition added by HB 2279 is that Kansas APRNs may not prescribe any drug intended to cause an abortion. All other prescribing authority is fully independent.
New Obligations Added by HB 2279
In exchange for full practice authority, Kansas APRNs must now comply with several obligations that did not exist under the prior framework:
- Malpractice insurance: APRNs must maintain professional liability insurance as a condition of licensure
- National certification: APRNs must hold current national certification in their specialty area for initial licensure
- DEA compliance: APRNs must comply with DEA requirements for controlled substance prescribing
- Continuing education: KSBN rules require 30 contact hours of approved continuing nursing education in the APRN role per license period
These obligations apply directly to the APRN and do not create physician involvement requirements.
Where Physician Collaboration Still Applies in Kansas
Active statutory physician collaboration requirements in Kansas apply in one primary context: physician assistant practice agreements. Every PA licensed in Kansas must operate under a practice agreement with a participating physician. Under Kansas law and KSBHA regulations, the PA’s scope of practice, prescribing authority, and oversight obligations are defined through the practice agreement. This framework applies regardless of the PA’s level of experience, though HB 2702, signed in April 2026, significantly changed the oversight structure for experienced PAs.
Voluntary APRN Collaboration
Nothing in Kansas law prevents an APRN from voluntarily entering a collaborative arrangement with a physician for clinical, institutional, or payer-driven reasons. Some health systems, rural health clinics, and critical access hospitals may maintain internal policies requiring physician involvement for APRNs beyond what state law requires. Medicare conditions of participation may also include chart-review or physician-oversight requirements that apply regardless of state law. These are contractual or federal requirements, not Kansas statutory obligations.
The PA Collaboration Framework: Kansas’s Tiered Model
Kansas law and the April 2026 modernization under HB 2702 create a tiered practice agreement model for PAs based on clinical experience.
Tier 1: Supervision Agreement (Under 4,000 Clinical Hours)
A PA with fewer than 4,000 hours of post-graduate clinical practice experience must operate under a supervision-level practice agreement with a participating physician. During this tier, the physician provides more active direction and oversight, and the agreement must reflect that supervision structure.
Tier 2: Collaboration Agreement (4,000 or More Clinical Hours)
Under HB 2702, signed by Governor Kelly in April 2026, a PA who has accrued 4,000 clinical hours transitions from a supervision model to a collaboration model. The practice agreement is reclassified from supervision to collaboration at that threshold. Experienced PAs in the collaboration tier are responsible for the care they provide, with the physician serving in a consultative and review role rather than a supervisory one.
What HB 2702 Eliminated
HB 2702 also struck prior ratio restrictions, affirming that the number of PAs a physician may collaborate with is determined at the practice level rather than by a statutory cap. The bill additionally removed state mandates for determining scope of practice, giving that authority to the PA, the collaborating physician, and the healthcare facility’s credentialing and privileging process.
What Must Be in a Kansas PA Practice Agreement
Kansas PA practice agreements must address the scope of the PA’s practice, the oversight and consultation structure that applies at the relevant tier, and the prescriptive authority the PA is authorized to exercise. Under the KSBHA framework, the agreement must:
1. Identify the Parties and Scope
The agreement must identify the PA and the collaborating physician by name and describe the scope of clinical services the PA is authorized to provide. The scope must be consistent with the collaborating physician’s own practice area and the PA’s education, training, and experience.
2. Describe the Oversight Structure
For Tier 1 PAs, the agreement must describe how physician supervision will occur, including physician availability for consultation and the review process for the PA’s clinical work. For Tier 2 PAs, the agreement describes the collaborative relationship and the consultation and review processes appropriate to an experienced PA’s independent responsibility for care.
3. Address Prescriptive Authority
The agreement must describe the medications the PA is authorized to prescribe, including controlled substances where applicable. Kansas PAs are full prescribers for controlled substances in Schedules 2 through 5 without separate physician delegation requirements, but the scope of prescribing should be addressed in the agreement to reflect the clinical context.
4. Address Availability and Consultation
The agreement must describe how the PA will access the collaborating physician for consultation, the methods of communication available, and the process for patient referrals when care exceeds the PA’s scope.
Physician Eligibility and the Scope Standard
A Kansas collaborating physician for PA arrangements must hold a current, active license to practice medicine in Kansas issued by the KSBHA. The physician’s practice background must be relevant to the PA’s clinical area, particularly for Tier 1 where physician guidance is more active.
Practice-Level Scope Determination
Under HB 2702, the scope of practice for both the PA and the physician is determined at the practice level by the parties themselves and by the healthcare facility’s credentialing and privileging systems. The removal of state mandates gives both the physician and the PA more flexibility to define a clinically appropriate arrangement.
Genuine Availability
The collaborating physician must be accessible to the PA for consultation. For Tier 1 PAs, this availability must support active supervision. For Tier 2 PAs, the physician must be available for the consultation and review role that collaboration at that tier demands.
The 2026 PA Modernization: What HB 2702 Changes
HB 2702, signed into law by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly in April 2026, represents the most significant update to Kansas PA practice law since the 2022 APRN reforms. The bill achieved three foundational modernizations:
1. Supervision to Collaboration After 4,000 Hours
Practice agreements between a PA and a physician are reclassified from supervision to collaboration after the PA accrues 4,000 clinical hours. This makes experienced PAs responsible for the care they provide, reducing the physician’s obligation from active oversight to collegial consultation and review.
2. Ratio Restrictions Eliminated
The prior statutory limits on how many PAs a physician could supervise or collaborate with simultaneously have been struck. The number of PAs a physician may work with is now determined at the practice level. This expansion significantly increases the potential scale of physician collaboration arrangements with PAs in Kansas.
3. Scope of Practice Determined at the Practice Level
State mandates for determining the scope of PA practice have been removed. The PA, the collaborating physician, and the healthcare facility’s credentialing and privileging process now jointly determine what the PA is authorized to do within the arrangement.
Prescriptive Authority in Kansas
APRN Prescribing
Kansas APRNs with current national certification and an active DEA registration may prescribe controlled substances in Schedules 2 through 5 independently. No physician agreement, protocol, or authorization is required. The one statutory exception is that APRNs may not prescribe any drug intended to cause an abortion under K.S.A. 65-1130 as amended.
PA Prescribing
Kansas PAs are full prescribers, able to prescribe medications including controlled substances in Schedules 2 through 5 without direct physician delegation. Prescriptive authority for PAs is governed by the practice agreement and the PA’s scope as determined at the practice level. PAs must hold a current DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances.
APRN Licensing Requirements That Replaced the Collaboration Framework
While physician collaboration is no longer required for Kansas APRNs, the 2022 statutory changes replaced the prior oversight structure with new individual APRN obligations:
- Malpractice insurance: Required as a condition of APRN licensure
- National certification: Required at initial licensure and maintained through the renewal cycle
- Continuing education: 30 contact hours of approved CE per license period required
- DEA registration: Required for controlled substance prescribing; APRNs are classified as mid-level practitioners under the Kansas Controlled Substances Act
Common Compliance Mistakes Kansas Collaborating Physicians Make
Most Kansas PA practice agreement compliance problems involve scope mismatches under the new practice-level determination model and failure to update agreements when PAs reach the 4,000-hour collaboration threshold.
- Practice agreement not updated when PA crosses 4,000 hours. Under HB 2702, the agreement transitions from supervision to collaboration at 4,000 clinical hours. An agreement that still describes supervision obligations for a PA who qualifies for the collaboration tier no longer reflects the actual legal relationship.
- Ratio thinking carried over from pre-HB 2702 practice. Prior to April 2026, statutory ratio limits applied to Kansas PA arrangements. Those limits have been struck. Physicians who avoid multiple Kansas PA arrangements based on the old ratios are operating under an outdated assumption.
- Scope of practice not described with enough specificity. HB 2702 transferred scope determination to the practice level, which means the agreement itself must now bear the specificity that state mandates previously provided. Vague scope descriptions create ambiguity that can become a compliance or liability issue.
- Availability not genuine for Tier 1 PAs. For PAs under 4,000 hours, the physician’s supervision obligation is more active. A physician who is routinely unreachable for a Tier 1 PA is not fulfilling the supervision standard the agreement requires.
- Voluntary APRN arrangement treated as a statutory requirement. Some physicians in Kansas continue voluntary collaboration arrangements with APRNs for institutional or payer reasons. These are contractual arrangements, not statutory ones. Physicians should understand the legal basis of each arrangement so they can structure it correctly.
Kansas Collaborating Physician Requirements: Quick Reference
APRN Practice Authority
- Kansas is a full practice authority state for APRNs effective July 1, 2022 (HB 2279)
- No physician collaboration, protocol, or agreement required for APRN practice or prescribing
- APRNs may prescribe Schedule 2 through 5 controlled substances independently with DEA registration
- Exception: APRNs may not prescribe drugs intended to cause an abortion
PA Practice Agreement Framework (Active Collaboration Required)
- All Kansas PAs must operate under a practice agreement with a collaborating physician
- Tier 1 (under 4,000 hours): supervision-level agreement required
- Tier 2 (4,000 or more hours): collaboration-level agreement under HB 2702 (April 2026)
- Ratio restrictions eliminated under HB 2702
- Scope of practice determined at the practice level by PA, physician, and facility credentialing
Physician Eligibility
- Active Kansas MD or DO license issued by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts
- Practice background relevant to the PA’s clinical area
- Genuine availability for consultation appropriate to the PA’s tier
2026 PA Modernization (HB 2702)
- Practice agreements reclassified from supervision to collaboration after 4,000 PA clinical hours
- Ratio restrictions eliminated; number of PAs determined at practice level
- State scope mandates removed; scope determined by PA, physician, and facility credentialing
PA Prescriptive Authority
- Kansas PAs are full prescribers for Schedules 2 through 5 without separate physician delegation
- DEA registration required for controlled substance prescribing
APRN Licensing Obligations (Replacing Collaboration)
- Malpractice insurance required as condition of APRN licensure
- National certification required for initial licensure and renewal
- 30 CE hours per license period required
- DEA registration required for controlled substance prescribing
Clinics Also Need to Understand Kansas Collaboration Requirements
While this guide covers the current state of physician collaboration requirements in Kansas, these regulations directly affect clinics of all types operating in the state. APRN-operated clinics in Kansas no longer require a physician collaboration arrangement by state law, but PA-operated clinics do. In many cases, clinic owners researching Kansas collaboration rules are trying to understand whether their specific provider type and clinical model still requires a physician, and if so, what that arrangement must look like under the updated HB 2702 framework.
Need Help Finding a Kansas Collaborating Physician?
For clinics with PA providers, the next challenge is finding a qualified physician who understands the tiered Kansas PA framework, is prepared to provide genuine supervision during the first 4,000 hours, and will transition the agreement to a collaboration structure once the PA qualifies. Whether you are launching a new PA-operated clinic, working with a PA who has just reached the 4,000-hour collaboration threshold, or scaling a multi-PA practice under the newly eliminated ratio restrictions, having the right physician relationship in place is essential.
If your clinic is actively looking for a Kansas collaborating physician, our team can match you with a qualified physician, often within 24 to 48 hours. We work with clinics across Kansas to simplify the physician matching process while supporting practice agreement drafting, tier transition documentation, and long-term collaboration needs.
Final Thoughts
Kansas collaborating physician requirements reflect a state that has made one of the most complete transitions to APRN autonomy in the country, while maintaining a structured and recently modernized collaboration framework for physician assistants. For APRNs, the physician collaboration requirement is gone entirely. For PAs, the framework is active, tiered by experience, and as of April 2026, significantly more flexible following HB 2702’s elimination of ratio restrictions and state-mandated scope determinations.
For physicians entering the Kansas market, the active opportunity is in PA collaboration arrangements. Understanding the supervision versus collaboration distinction, structuring agreements that reflect the PA’s current tier, and building genuine availability and consultation processes are the foundations of a compliant Kansas PA arrangement.
Build a Compliant Kansas Collaboration With Collaborating Physician
Are you looking for a collaborating physician role in Kansas? If you are a licensed Kansas physician interested in a structured, compliant PA practice agreement arrangement, Collaborating Physician handles the infrastructure so you do not have to figure it out alone. The platform connects licensed physicians with vetted clinics across Kansas and 50-plus other states. Every arrangement is built to meet state-specific requirements, including Kansas’s tiered PA practice agreement framework, the supervision versus collaboration threshold under HB 2702, practice-level scope determination standards, and the consultation and availability obligations that apply at each tier. Physicians receive compliance support throughout the collaboration, not just at the start. Applications take under ten minutes. Clinic matches typically happen within 24 to 48 hours. There is no cost to physicians at any stage.
If you are a clinic owner who found this page, we have something for you as well. Collaborating Physician also matches Kansas clinics with qualified, vetted collaborating physicians who understand the post-HB 2702 PA framework, are prepared to fulfill supervision obligations for Tier 1 PAs, and can scale across multiple PA arrangements now that ratio restrictions have been eliminated. Whether you are launching a new PA-operated clinic, scaling a multi-PA practice, or managing a PA’s transition from supervision to collaboration, the network is active and placements happen within 24 to 48 hours. For clinics looking for a collaborating physician, get matched fast.
Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal or medical advice. Kansas healthcare regulations changed significantly in 2022 and again in April 2026. Always verify current requirements directly with the Kansas State Board of Nursing, the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, and a qualified healthcare attorney before making any practice decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Kansas NP still need a collaborating physician?
No. Kansas became a full practice authority state for APRNs effective July 1, 2022 when HB 2279 was signed into law. All references to physician supervision or collaboration requirements were eliminated from the Kansas Nurse Practice Act. Kansas APRNs may now diagnose, treat, and prescribe, including controlled substances, without any physician agreement, protocol, or oversight.
Can a Kansas APRN prescribe controlled substances without a physician?
Yes. Under K.S.A. 65-1130 as amended by HB 2279, Kansas APRNs with national certification and a DEA registration may prescribe controlled substances in Schedules 2 through 5 independently. The one restriction is that APRNs may not prescribe any drug intended to cause an abortion.
Do Kansas PAs still need a collaborating physician?
Yes. Kansas PAs must operate under a practice agreement with a collaborating physician. The structure depends on experience level. PAs with under 4,000 clinical hours operate under a supervision-level agreement. PAs with 4,000 or more hours operate under a collaboration-level agreement following the April 2026 enactment of HB 2702.
What did HB 2702 change for Kansas PAs?
HB 2702, signed by Governor Kelly in April 2026, made three changes. First, practice agreements are reclassified from supervision to collaboration after a PA accrues 4,000 clinical hours. Second, ratio restrictions on the number of PAs a physician may collaborate with were eliminated. Third, state mandates for determining PA scope of practice were removed, giving that authority to the PA, physician, and facility credentialing system.
What new obligations do Kansas APRNs have after HB 2279?
Kansas APRNs must now maintain professional liability insurance as a condition of licensure, hold current national certification in their specialty area, complete 30 hours of continuing education per license period, and register with the DEA to prescribe controlled substances.
Are there Kansas physician collaboration opportunities for APRN-operated clinics?
State law does not require physician collaboration for APRN-operated clinics in Kansas. However, some institutional policies, federal program conditions, and managed care organization requirements may impose collaboration arrangements beyond what state law mandates. Voluntary arrangements remain an option for clinical, credentialing, or billing reasons.
