Full practice authority for certain positions within Department of Veterans Affairs

(a) Full practice authority The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations to provide full practice authority to physician assistants and such other licensed health care professionals of the Department of Veterans Affairs as the Secretary considers appropriate consistent with the education, training, and certification of such physician assistant or health care professional. (b) Limitations Regulations prescribed under subsection (a) may be subject to— (1) the limitations imposed by the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.); (2) any limitation on the State licensure of an individual regarding the authority to prescribe or administer controlled substances; and (3) any other limitations on the provision of care under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs set forth in applicable Federal law and policy. (c) Physician assistant defined In this section, the term physician assistant has the meaning given that term in section 1861(aa)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(5)(A)).