Everything You Should Know About Active-Retired Physician License Renewal

When doctors think about retiring, one of the first things they need to think about is what to do with their medical license. Many retiring doctors choose to change their license status to active-retired. This blog covers the most frequently asked questions regarding this topic by physicians.

What is called an active-retired license?

An active retired license permits a retired doctor to deliver care to and prescribe medicines for oneself and close relatives. An active license would be required to provide care or write prescriptions outside of these limits.

Keep in mind that the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCare) Act exempts retired physicians with active-retired licenses from most state continuing medical education (CME) requirements and professional liability insurance requirements. In any case, the active-retired licensee is as yet expected to biennially proceed with medical license renewal each even-numbered year by paying a medical license renewal charge.

With an active-retired license, what kinds of prescriptions can I write?

Physicians can only write prescriptions for themselves and members of their immediate family with an active-retired license. The MCare Act characterizes “close family” as a parent, companion, youngster, or grown-up kin staying in the same house.

While prescribing medicines, active-retired doctors should in any case comply with legal statutory prerequisites and applicable licensure board guidelines, including applicable Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) necessities. It offers the basic standards of practice that allopathic doctors should stick to while recommending, administering, and delivering drugs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires specific doctors and other qualified medical experts to sign up for the Medicare program, through a CMS-855O application, for the sole objective of requesting or confirming things or services for Medicare beneficiaries and prescribing Part D medications.

Is professional liability insurance required for active-retired licensees?

Retired physicians still require professional liability insurance because claims can be made long aftercare services have been rendered. To ensure that they are protected during their retirement, physicians considering retirement should consult their medical professional liability insurance provider. An automatically extended reporting endorsement, also known as tail coverage, can be found on some medical professional insurance policies. This type of policy is purchased by physicians who are still in active practice. While they are covered by the claims-made policy, the policy will automatically provide tail coverage when the physician retires fully.

Upon cancellation, termination, or non-renewal of claims-made coverage, a physician’s liability insurance carrier is required to provide tail coverage for a period of sixty days if the physician’s existing policy does not already include it. To comply with state law, physicians must purchase tail coverage, but they are not required to do so from their current malpractice provider; doctors can look for alternative carriers.

Expenses and losses that occur during a claims-made coverage period are covered by the tail. The one-time charge paid for the tail inclusion would protect the doctor endlessly for any case made after the cancellation, end, or non-renewal of the claims-made inclusion.

What are the physician license renewal prerequisites for active-retired licensees?

Similar to an active-unrestricted license, active-retired licenses must be renewed every even-numbered year.

Can I also apply for a volunteer license if I already hold an active-retired license?

A physician must currently hold an active, unrestricted license in order to be eligible for a volunteer license. Before submitting an application for a volunteer license, an active-retired license holder would need to renew their license.

The following details are the physician license lookup deadlines and fees for 2022:

•          According to 49 Pennsylvania Code  25.231, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or DOs, are required to renew by October 31 and pay a $330 renewal fee.

•          Doctors of Medicine, or MDs, should renew by December 31st and pay a renewal expense of $360.

The 100-credit CME requirement for physicians in active status is waived for physicians with an active-retired license.

Nonetheless, an active-retired physician is expected to finish 2-credits of CME in child abuse recognition, reporting, and 2-credits of CME in pain management, addiction identification, or the act of opioid prescription and dispense. There are several exclusions to the requirements of opioid education. Unless a physician has a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number or prescribes under the registration of another individual or organization, these exemptions do not apply.

There are no extra licensure CME prerequisites for active-retired licensees other than the required opioid or child abuse acknowledgment/reporting education.

How do I make the transition to active-retired status?

When you renew your license online, the status gets changed to active-retired.

Can I return to active practice?

You will need to renew your license if you have an active-retired license and want to return to active practice beyond providing care to yourself and your immediate family.

A status change application must be completed and submitted to your licensing board in order to renew your license. Professional liability insurance and completing your CME requirements from the previous biennial licensing period are also necessary.

It is important to note that before an MD license can be renewed; however, the entire State Board of Medicine must examine it if it has been inactive, expired, or active-retired for at least four years. The Board might require the licensee to go through a re-entry clinical skills evaluation prior to re-establishing the licensee’s medical license.

For more information on physician license lookupservice, connect with the Credidocs team via email at info@credidocs.com