Update: Yesterday, the AZ Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) gave the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact bill, HB 2502, a “Do Pass as Amended” (DPA) recommendation. We appreciate the efforts of Senators to fix problems in HB 2502 through an amendment approved during yesterday’s proceedings.
There are several good things in the amendment:
- It prohibits board certification from being required for licensure through Arizona’s existing licensing process.
- It directs.the Arizona Medical Board to develop its own expedited licensure process for physicians wishing to avoid Compact licensure.
- It prevents Compact licensure from being required as a condition of employment.
- Arizona courts would maintain some level of supervision over Compact-authorized subpoenas issues outside of the state
Despite these helpful changes, overall the Compact is still the wrong solution for improving Arizona’s licensing process:
- Arizona laws are still subject to being superseded by Compact provisions and rule-making.
- Board certification requirements for Compact participation remain and trump any Arizona laws to the contrary, perpetuating a broken, corrupt, and counterproductive MOC industry.
- Physician due process rights are still weakened, potentially impacting physicians not participating in Compact licensure.
- The Compact is still untested. No licenses have been issued through the Compact and no date has been announced for when licensing will commence.
- There are unforeseen consequences resulting from the Compact beginning to surface. For instance we heard from a physician in a Compact state about complications related to renewing his malpractice insurance.
- Adding the Compact Commission creates another layer of bureaucracy and costs, according to CATO scholar, Shirley Svorny Ph.D.
A full Senate vote on HB 2502 as amended may occur next week. If passed then the House will have to reconsider the amended measure.
Please continue to educate Arizona legislators about these issues!
Email addresses for all Senators can be found here: https://goo.gl/P7O3fH and House members here: https://goo.gl/rIIC5O
Phone numbers for all legislators can be found here:http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp