Medical Licensing Compact Enjoys Wide Support

With state legislative sessions getting ready to gear back up in the New Year, the newly drafted Interstate Medical Licensure Compact continues to receive wide spread endorsement from both state boards and key stakeholder groups.  To date, 17 state medical and osteopathic boards have formally endorsed the Compact, including:

1.            Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

2.            District of Columbia Board of Medicine

3.            Idaho Board of Medicine

4.            Kansas State Board of Healing Arts

5.            Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine

6.            Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners

7.            Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision

8.            South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners

9.            Texas Medical Board

10.          Utah Physicians and Surgeons Licensing Board

11.          Utah Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons Licensing Board

12.          Vermont Board of Medical Practice

13.          Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission

14.          Washington Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery

15.          West Virginia Board of Medicine

16.          West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine

17.          Wisconsin Medical Examining Board

18.          Wyoming Board of Medicine

Several others are considering doing so in the weeks and months ahead.  Additionally the compact has received the endorsement of several professional organizations, such as The American Medical Association, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, the Society of Hospitalist Medicine and others. 

The goal of the compact is to allow doctors to more efficiently obtain licenses in multiple states, while simultaneously protecting patient safety.  Such an agreement has the potential to significantly increase access to care in rural and hard-to-serve areas, which in turn has the potential to reduce costs for patients, states and the federal government. The agreement also aims to allow providers to take advantage of improving technologies and offer more telehealth services.  Participation in the compact is voluntary for both states and doctors.

To read the compact legislation click on the attachment below.  For more information about any of CSG’s ongoing compact work, please contact Crady deGolian at cdegolian@csg.org.