Good news from and for the state of Maryland: Senate Bill 433 (SB 433), State Board of Physicians – Polysomnographic Technologists – Education and Licensing Requirements, was signed by Governor O’Malley on Thursday, May 7.
Over the last few months, AASM has been working with our members in Maryland and the Maryland Board of Physicians to ensure the passage of SB 433. The bill received large bipartisan support, first passing in the Senate by a vote of 47-0 and then in the House by a vote of 137-0. Members can view the full text of the bill on the Web site of the Maryland General Assembly.
Congratulations to all of our members in Maryland for all of their hard work and contributions in passing this important piece of legislation.
SB 433 postpones the deadline for sleep technologists to obtain a license to perform polysomnography from October 1, 2009, to October 1, 2011. Before this amendment was passed, the statutory language mandated that all individuals practicing polysomnography after October 1, 2009, must obtain licensure by first completing a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health- (CAAHEP) approved polysomnography program. Presently, there is only one CAAHEP program operating in Maryland. The implementation of an October 1, 2009, licensure deadline would have led to either a significant decrease in the availability of sleep studies in Maryland, or to a large pool of unlicensed personnel practicing in spite of the law.
