California medical board regulates medical volunteers who are licensed in other states

California is an early adopter once again, this time with respect to regulating medical volunteers.

The California Medical Board announces:

The Medical Board of California is the first licensing board to adopt regulations for AB 2699, Bass (Chapter 270, Statutes of 2010), which now allows healthcare practitioners, who are licensed in other states, to provide voluntary health care services to uninsured and underinsured Californians on a short-term basis at a sponsored event, without obtaining California licensure. These regulations were needed in order to implement that law.

There are thousands of individuals in California who are lacking basic health care services and preventive care; there is also a shortage of volunteer healthcare professionals in this state. California’s restrictions that prohibited volunteer out-of-state licensed medical professionals from providing short-term services at these free health fairs, resulted in residents being turned away.

With the passing of this legislation, physicians (M.D.s) who are licensed in states other than California may now volunteer to provide services at health care events in California. No California medical license is needed; however, physicians (M.D.s) must register with the Medical Board of California and hold a current valid medical license in good standing in another state, and the practitioner must submit fingerprints for a criminal background check. The out-of-state practitioner must provide the services on a voluntary basis, without charge to uninsured and underinsured persons at a sponsored healthcare event lasting 10 days or less.

“The mission of the Medical Board is public protection, and this action reflects the Board’s ongoing commitment to that mission,” said Linda Whitney, executive director of the Medical Board.

Physicians (M.D.s) and free health care event sponsors can download the regulations, registration forms, required signage, and instructions at the Medical Board of California Web site http://www.mbc.ca.gov/licensee/sponsored_free_health_care_events.html
Sponsors of free health care events must register with the Medical Board at least 90 days before the event is held.

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This law will help counteract fear of charges of unlicensed practice of medicine when licensed medical doctors (and other licensees) practice across states in a volunteer capacity for sponsored events.

If you have questions about your California physician obligations to the medical board or otherwise as a California healthcare licensed (or non-licensed) practitioner, contact our healthcare law attorneys today at the Cohen Healthcare Law Group.