LOCUM for a PA???

Any & all help appreciated as we have already spent too much time trying to figure this out.

We have a PA that helps out our physician with office visits. The PA is out on maternity leave.

Can we hire a locum temporarily to cover for her while she is out? Or is a locum only to cover physicians that are out?

Research we found shows we can't hire a locum to cover a PA...has to be covering for a physician. However, the agency we have already hired the locum through INSISTS that this is legal & legit with Medicare...to bill for the locum under the physicians #'s.

I should mention the locum hired through the agency is NOT a physician, she's an NP.

We really appreciate any help/links/contacts to get an answer. Thanks!

LOCUM for a PA???