No agency, institution or physician providing a service for which payment or reimbursement is required to be made under a contract governed by this Article and Article 66 of this Chapter shall be denied such payment or reimbursement on account of the fact that the service was rendered through a registered nurse acting under authority of rules and regulations adopted by the North Carolina Medical Board and the Board of Nursing pursuant to G.S. 90-6 and 90-171.23. (1973, c. 436; 1991, c. 720, s. 37; 1993, c. 347, s. 4; 1995, c. 94, s. 4; 1997-197, s. 1.)