In staff model HMOs, both physicians and PAs are employees of the health plan. Despite the specific employment relationship, PAs and their supervising physicians still adhere to the principle that PAs practice with physician supervision. Though the PA profession has a sustained commitment to practicing with supervision in the clinical workplace, it is important that physician assistants have the same access to professional corporation ownership as other health professionals. In addition, professional corporations may seek PAs to join as shareholders. It is important that they do not face arbitrary barriers that prevent the addition of physician assistants as shareholders.
Many states prohibit general business corporations from performing professional services.
However, almost all states have created a special type of corporation that can perform professional services. State laws also specify who may be shareholders in these professional corporations. In other states, the law may have general provisions that would permit shareholding to occur. For example, Michigan law requires licensed individuals in a PC to provide the same professional services. Because, according to the state s public health code, PAs practice medicine, they are eligible to be shareholders in professional corporations with physicians.