MS HB686

Reenacts the Patient's Right to Informed Health Care Choices Act (Sections 41-121-1 through 41-121-9) to regulate health care advertising and require practitioners to clearly identify their type of license in all advertisements and office signage.

Requires health care practitioners to conspicuously display their specific type of license in their offices and all communications, including business cards, websites, emails, and patient materials, to prevent patient confusion about qualifications.

Defines deceptive or misleading advertising as any communication that misstates, falsely describes, or falsely details a practitioner's profession, skills, training, expertise, education, board certification, or licensure.

Extends the repeal date of the Patient's Right to Informed Health Care Choices Act from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025, and extends corresponding repeal dates in disciplinary provisions for multiple health care licensing boards (chiropractic, dental, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physician assistant, podiatry, and veterinary).

Requires the Board of Optometry to conduct criminal history records checks on licensure applicants and licensees subject to investigation, with fingerprint-based checks against Mississippi and FBI criminal databases.