| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING 2009 ONLINE RENEWAL |
 |
|
 |
|
|
License Renewals for physicians (MD/DO), podiatric physicians (DPM) and physician assistants (PA) licensees will begin in October 2009 for calendar years 2010 and 2011. These licenses expire on December 31st. Renewal must be complete prior to that date or the license will lapse. A licensee may not practice with a lapsed license.
ANSWERS to FAQs
1. Is it really time for registration again? I thought I just paid the registration fees last year.
Short:
If your current license expires 12/31/09, AND you renew your license annually, you must pay to renew through 12/31/10.
Long:
If your license is registered as Emeritus status, you must register each year. You probably did register just last year, but it is time to register again.
If you are in (or just finishing) an approved post-medical school training program, you are permitted to register one year at a time. Doctors who are not in training and whose status is Active, Inactive or Locum Tenens must register for two years at a time.
All Oregon licensed physicians must complete their renewal of their license by December 31, 2009, even if they were originally licensed any time during the biennium (01/01/08 - 12/31/09), but did not practice during the entire biennium.
The licenses of physicians who renew for one year (Emeritus and physicians currently in a postgraduate training program) are current from 01/01/09 through 12/31/09. The licenses of physicians who renew for the biennium (Active, Inactive, Locum Tenens, Administrative Medicine Active, Military/Public Health Active, Telemedicine Active, Telemonitoring Active, or Teleradiology) are current from 01/01/08 through 12/31/09.
Back
|
2. I didn't get a renewal form. How can I get one?
Short:
The Board is not providing paper renewal forms to licensees except in special circumstances. All licensees are encouraged to use the Board’s online renewal system for fast and easy license renewal.
Long:
To make the renewal process easier and more efficient for both licensees and Board staff, the Board has instituted an online renewal system. The system is expected to greatly improve processing time for license renewals by freeing up staff from data entry so they may more quickly solve licensee problems and renew licenses. Paper renewal forms will not be provided except when a licensee is unable to use the online system.
Back
|
3. Why does the registration renewal process always ask for my address? It hasn't changed for quite some time.
Short:
To make sure our records remain current, we ask that everyone verify the information we have on record.
Long:
The Licensing Department is responsible for the accuracy of our database, and the information that is released to the public. Some licensees move quite often. Other times, in the hubbub of an office move, a licensee believes he/she notified the Board, or told staff to do so, but we do not have the new information. We always ask whether the address has changed, just in case it has.
We have continually worked to make this notification process easier for our licensees. Now you can easily notify of the Board of a new address during the online renewal process or anytime using our secure website.
Back
|
4. I've just finished my residency and moved away from Oregon. I plan to renew my license. Which status can I choose?
Short:
a. Inactive, if you plan to live outside of Oregon and not work in Oregon.
b. Locum Tenens, if you plan to live outside of Oregon yet work in Oregon periodically.
Long:
If you do not plan to work in Oregon at this time, you should choose Inactive status. This status reflects the fact that you are not practicing medicine in Oregon at this time.
If you plan to work in Oregon intermittently from your out-of-state location, you can choose Locum Tenens. Locum Tenens licensees must notify the Board in writing and in advance of the date and location of any Oregon practice.
Back
|
5. I am an intern/resident/fellow. I hear that I can pay for one year at a time. Do I need to do anything special to let you know that?
Short:
YES. You may pay $219 and register for one year. You will be required to provide information about your training program.
Long
You will be required to include a statement describing your training program. Your statement should include the following:
A) The name of your fellowship, residency, or training program and institution.
B) The specialty you are currently studying.
C) The expected completion date of your current training program.
You must currently be in a postgraduate training program to qualify for this one-year payment option. The law does not allow those who expect to enter a training program in the near future to use this option.
Back
|
6. I've just finished my residency and moved away from Oregon. I don't plan to return or to renew my license. If I chose not to renew my Oregon license right now, what are my options?
Short:
Allow your license to lapse, or surrender your license.
Long:
You can choose to allow your license to lapse, or you can choose to surrender your license. To let your license lapse, you need take no further action. A license will lapse automatically if you fail to complete the registration form and pay the registration fee. Your license will lapse even if you notify the Board that you do not intend to renew your registration. The Board will notify you that your license has lapsed, even if you informed the Board before December 31 that you wished to allow your license to lapse.
To surrender your license, you must take action:
1. Notify us that you want to surrender your license. Do this in writing. Use the term "surrender" in your letter. You must still complete your license renewal form.
2. Return any and all certificates, licenses, and/or wallet cards issued to you by the Oregon Medical Board. If documents are not available, please provide a written statement.
Neither surrendered nor lapsed status is a derogatory status. The Board will still be able to verify your license to other states. Your registration status will not make a difference in your disciplinary standing. In other words, if your license was in "Unrestricted" standing while you maintained the registration of your license, it remains in "unrestricted' standing after it is lapsed or surrendered.
Back
|
7. What's the difference between lapsed, surrendered and retired?
Short:
The following are definitions for lapsed, surrendered and retired:
a. Lapsed: The license is lapsed due to non-renewal of the biennial registration. The licensee may not practice medicine in Oregon.
b. Surrendered: The licensee has returned his/her license to the Board because he/she will not be practicing in Oregon in the future, and does not wish to maintain his/her license.
c. Retired: The licensee is fully retired and not practicing any form of medicine in any state/country, whether paid, volunteer, or writing prescriptions. Only for licensees who are fully retired and not practicing medicine in any state/country.
Long:
In the immediate future, there's not much difference. For each of these statuses, you do not pay the license renewal fee, nor are you able to practice medicine in Oregon. Lapsed and retired doctors will not avoid any disciplinary action stemming from their prior practice of medicine in Oregon by choosing lapsed or retired status.
Back
|
8. What must I do if I decide to practice in Oregon after my license has been lapsed, surrendered, or retired?
If you want to practice in Oregon again in the future, there are different requirements for each status. When you want to return to the practice of medicine in Oregon, the method of re-entry is determined by the status you have.
If you have Lapsed status, you must:
A. Reactivate your license (takes 4-6 weeks minimum, $50 fee to process the Affidavit of Reactivation form).
B. Pay a late fee of $150.
C. Pay the back registration fees for up to two biennia.
D. Pay the registration fee for the current biennial period.
If you have Retired status, you must:
1. Reactivate your license (takes 4-6 weeks minimum, $50 fee to process the Affidavit of Reactivation form).
2. You may be required to demonstrate competency if you have been out of practice for a period of 12 months or longer. Depending on the number of years you have been retired, you may be required to take the Special Purpose Examination (SPEX) to demonstrate competency.
If you have Surrendered status, you must:
1. Reapply for an Oregon medical license as if you have never held one (takes 6-8 weeks, $375 application fee).
2. Meet all requirements for licensure that are in place at the time you apply, not the ones which were in place when you applied in the past.
3. Pay the registration fee for the current biennial period.
Back
|
9. I've had Emeritus status for some years now, but I really don't plan to practice medicine again. Should I renew and pay these fees again?
Short:
If you are positive that you will never need to write a prescription or practice medicine in this or any other state or country, you may inform the Board you wish to have Retired status. You must still complete your license renewal form.
Long:
The decision as to whether or not to renew your license is up to you.
If you are no longer practicing medicine in Oregon or any other state, you may request Retired status. Please remember that you will not be able to volunteer or write prescriptions.
On the other hand, you will no longer have to pay the Board's license renewal fees each year. You do not lose your right to be addressed as "doctor," or to use your degree (MD or DO) after your signature. Please also refer to questions number 7 & 8 regarding lapse, surrender and retire.
Back
|
10. What if I need to practice medicine for pay again? Wouldn't it be better to have Emeritus status than to have Retired status if I need to return to practice?
Short:
To change to Active status from either Emeritus or Retired status, you are required to complete the reactivation process, and:
a. Pay the current applicable fees.
b. Complete the Affidavit for Reactivation.
c. You may be required to take the SPEX exam if you haven't practiced for the last 12 months.
Long:
No, not necessarily.
To return from either Emeritus or Retired status, you must:
1. Reactivate your license (takes 4-6 weeks minimum, $50 fee to process the Affidavit of Reactivation form).
2. Depending on the number of years you have been Retired (more than 12 months), you may be required to take the Special Purpose Examination (SPEX) to demonstrate competency.
Some Emeritus status licensees have not practiced for 12 months or longer. These licensees may also be required to demonstrate competency by passing the SPEX examination.
Back
|
11. Can I still write prescriptions with Retired status?
Short:
No.
Long:
No. Retired status doctors may not practice any form of medicine in Oregon or any other state. This includes writing prescriptions.
Back
|
12. Can I still write prescriptions with Emeritus status?
Short:
Yes.
Long:
Yes, Emeritus status physicians retain prescription privileges in Oregon.
Please allow us to remind you that, while permissible, it is inadvisable for a physician to write prescriptions except in an established patient-physician relationship, which requires appropriate written documentation.
Back
|
13. Why are the fees so high? Why don't you have an Inactive-No Fee status?
Short:
Our agency is a "fee for service" agency. There are many hours involved in processing applications and maintaining over 16,000 current files.
It costs the Board as much to maintain a licensee file with Inactive status as it does to maintain a licensee file with Active status.
Long:
Our fees are set by the Oregon State legislature. The Board is a fee-based agency. The fees from applicants applying for licensure, fees from license renewal, and fees for other services are the basis for the Board's operating budget. We are not given money from any state tax source, or from the General Fund.
In 1999 the Inactive registration fees were raised to match the Active registration fees because it was recognized that it costs the Board the same amount to process and maintain a license with Inactive status as for Active status. Processing each renewal costs the agency the same amount of money.
If you wish to avoid paying Oregon renewal fees, you will need to choose a non-renewal status: Retired, Surrendered or Lapsed.
We must place each license in the clearly defined legal status categories specified in the Oregon Administrative Rules** . You can examine the full wording of the OAR** by following links on this website.
Back
|
14. How quickly can I expect my renewed certificate of registration?
Short:
Due to the high volume of renewal applications received, it may take up to 7-14 business days.
Long:
Unless some problem arises with your application, most renewals are processed in less than three weeks. Renewals submitted online are processed more quickly than paper renewal applications so licensees are encouraged to use the online renewal system.
Back
|
15. Problem? What kind of problem might there be with my renewal? What happens if there is a problem?
Short:
There are numerous possible problems, such as:
a. The payment was not received with the application.
b. The check cannot be processed because it wasn't signed, or was made out to the wrong agency, or was post-dated, etc.
c. The application form wasn't signed or the attest box was not checked on the Online Renewal.
d. The application wasn't completed correctly or submitted on time.
If there is a problem we will notify you in writing and give you adequate time to correct the situation(s). All problems must be resolved by 12/31/2009 to avoid automatic lapsing of license renewal.
Long:
Some licensees do not fill out the renewal application completely, or the information provided does not match the status they have requested. Missing information (missing answers, missing signatures, or missing explanations) is the most common problem we see.
If there is a problem with your renewal application, we will send you a letter identifying the problem and telling you how to resolve it. You must resolve the problem by the deadline.
If you do not resolve the problem by the deadline your license will lapse and the $150 late fee will be imposed.
Back
|
16. Where will you send my certificate of registration?
Short:
It will be sent to whatever you designate as your mailing address.
Long:
We will send it to the address you designate as your mailing address. We will not send it to your practice address or your residence address, unless it is the same as your mailing address.
Back
|
17. What if my certificate of registration doesn't arrive?
Short:
Call us if it hasn't arrived within 30 days from the date you submitted the license renewal application.
Long:
We make every reasonable effort to ensure that your certificate is mailed out with your name on it, your address, and first class postage. We keep a record of the date it was mailed, and to which address. The vast majority of certificates arrive without complications.
If the US Postal Service returns your renewed certificate to us, we will make additional efforts to mail the certificate to you. In such cases we often call the licensee's office and/or home to determine a better address to send the certificate to.
If you did not receive the certificate and we did not receive it back in the mail, you may request a duplicate certificate. The Board is not responsible for mishaps that occur while mail is in the care of the US Postal Service.
Back
|
18. Why can't I have Active status now that I've moved out of Oregon?
Short:
According to Oregon Statutes, Active status is reserved for doctors who are actively practicing medicine in Oregon, as evidenced by a business address.
Long:
The Oregon Medical Board restricts Active status to doctors who are actively practicing in Oregon.
The Board is charged with protecting the public by regulating the practice of medicine. The Board feels strongly that the reactivation process for licensees who wish to practice in Oregon helps it determine that the licensee has maintained competency. If licensees were allowed to have Active status regardless of location of practice, they would avoid the scrutiny of the reactivation process.
Doctors who reside outside of Oregon and who practice intermittently in Oregon should request Locum Tenens status.
Doctors who reside outside of Oregon and who practice on Oregon patients from across state lines by transmission of patient data via electronic or other means, may request telemedicine status. (Please read FAQ 34)
The Board has made an exception for doctors in the military or public health service, whose employment requires an Active status license. You must request (in writing) Active status based on your service in the military or public health service and give your Oregon address of record (although this does not need to be your mailing address), a copy of your Defense Finance and Accounting Services Military Leave and Earnings Statement, and a copy of your Military ID Card.
Back
|
19. It's after December 1. Did I miss the deadline for my renewal?
Short:
No. Complete your renewal before 12/31/09.
Long:
No, although you are running out of time. Your license is considered "delinquent". December is the 'grace period' for licensure renewal.
Please complete your renewal application as soon as possible. Remember that it takes about three weeks for us to process your renewal application. If there is any unexpected problem or delay, you will not have your renewed certificate of registration in hand for your practice on January 1, 2010. If we send you a problem letter and you do not resolve it by the deadline for license renewal, your license will lapse and a $150 late fee will be imposed, even for something that you may consider a very minor problem. Submitting your application through our online renewal system is the fastest way to process your renewal.
Back
|
20. What's the latest date I can submit my renewal application and not owe the late fee?
Short:
A $150 late fee is assessed if your renewal application is not in the Board office AND satisfactorily completed by the end of the business day on December 31, 2009.
Long:
Your renewal application must be received by the Board AND satisfactorily completed by December 31 or earlier in order to avoid the $150 late fee. If your renewal form is received in our office after December 31, 2009 you will be required to pay the $150 late fee.
Please re-read the above warnings about sending renewals in after December 1. Late-December renewals are unwise. Submitting your application through our online renewal system is the fastest way to process your renewal.
Back
|
21. It's January 1 (or later). Did I miss the deadline for my renewal?
Short:
You may still renew your license but you will owe the $150 late fee, and if you renew after April 1, you will have go through the reactivation process. It will cost you an additional $50 for the Board to process your Affidavit for Reactivation.
Long:
Yes, you did. Pay the fees for your selected license status and add $150 for the late fee. Submitting your application through our online renewal system is the fastest way to process your renewal. Late renewals can still be done through the online system.
We will wait to begin processing your renewal until we receive all three items:
1. The completed renewal application
2. The license renewal fee, and
3. The late fee.
Licensees often tell us of some extenuating circumstance and ask us to waive the late fee. If you feel you deserve a waiver please complete your application, pay both fees, and submit a statement requesting such a waiver in writing. We will consider your request and issue a refund if warranted.
It may be wise for you to send you paper application forms via certified mail, so you have a record of when you sent it, and the date the Board received it. It will still take us about three weeks to get your renewed certificate to you.
Back
|
22. Is late renewal really such a big deal?
Short:
If you do not renew your license before 12/31/2009, it will lapse. As long as your license is lapsed, you may not practice medicine in Oregon. You will also be assessed a $150 late fee when you do renew. Plus you may have to reactivate your license which will include an additional fee.
Long:
It can be.
If you are practicing medicine between the time your license lapses (midnight, December 31, 2009) and the time you renew, you are technically committing a felony by practicing medicine without a license. The Board may have grounds for taking disciplinary action against your license. Disciplinary actions by the Board are public information.
Back
|
23. What's dispensing? Do I need to sign up for this?
Short:
A "dispensing physician" is one who purchases prescription drugs for the purpose of dispensing them to patients or other individuals entitled to receive the drugs, and who dispenses and charges for them accordingly. You do not have to sign up for this if you do not fit the definition.
Long:
Dispensing physicians are physicians who take responsibility for drugs normally kept in pharmacies. In other words, if your patients visit you and, instead of writing out a prescription, you send them home with drugs to take (not pre-packaged samples) and you bill them for the drugs, you should register as a dispensing physician.
In-office treatment, parenterals, writing prescriptions and handing out manufacturer-packaged drug samples DO NOT constitute dispensing. If this is all you do, you do not need to register as a dispensing physician. (However, you must keep a log when giving out controlled substances, even if the controlled substances are pre-packaged samples from the manufacturer).
Dispensing physicians must comply with rules of the DEA, the Oregon Board of Pharmacy, and the Oregon Medical Board. Some of these rules are listed on page 2 of our Dispensing Physician Application form, which can be electronically accessed through our forms page.** There are no additional fees for registering with the Board, nor are there any additional forms to complete if you answer "yes" to the dispensing question when you renew your license.
If you are dispensing and do not register with the Board, you may be fined.
Back
|
24. I didn't get a renewal notification. Where did you send mine?
Short:
We sent it to the last known mailing address we had on file for you.
Long:
The license renewal notifications will be sent to the licensee’s mailing address of record on September 21, 2009. A renewal notification is not required for you to renew your license. You may use our online system to renew your license and if necessary, update your addresses in our records.
Back
|
25. I don't want information about me and my addresses made public or sold for any commercial purposes. How can I be removed from your mailing list?
Short:
We cannot suppress your mailing address. By law, it is available to the public.
Long:
We are not able to remove you or your addresses from the public record. As the holder of a license granted by the State of Oregon, certain information about you and the license issued to you by the state is on the public record. At the Oregon Medical Board, this includes your mailing address. Your home address, so long as it is not your mailing address will be kept confidential along with your personal email and telephone numbers.
This is a matter of Oregon law. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 192.420 reads, "Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as expressly provided by ORS 192.501 to 192.505." If you have access to the Internet, you can research these laws further at the Oregon State web site**.
Our agency is required by law to provide lists (public address information) to anyone who asks for them at the actual cost to our agency of producing the lists. We do not sell the lists for profit to support the agency.
We are not permitted to choose our customers based on their purpose or intent for the information.
You are not the only licensee to have this concern. Many licensees choose to contract with a private mailbox service or obtain a US Postal Service box, to prevent their physical address being released to the public. If you have issues regarding domestic violence or other threats due to disclosure of your information, you may request special consideration. Write to our office and give details of your situation.
Back
|
26. I am an out-of-state doctor practicing in the military or public health service. My renewal says 'Military/Public Health Active.' Do I need to do anything special to renew and keep my military or public health status?
Short:
Yes.
Long:
You will need to provide a statement that you are still serving in the military or public health service and still wish to renew at Military/Public Health Active status. Please include the name of the military branch or the agency (or sub-agency) for which you work. If your Oregon address of record has changed, or if you do not have an Oregon address of record, please provide us with a copy of your Defense Finance and Accounting Service Military Leave and Earnings Statement, and Military ID Card. (Your official state of residence must be Oregon in order to qualify for Active-Military/Public Health practice.)
If you do not include this statement, upon review, Board staff may not find enough evidence that you are still in the military or public health service. If this occurs, your license might be renewed at Inactive status.
If you have separated from the Military or changed employment from the Public Health service, you no longer qualify for this status in Oregon. Your license will be renewed at Inactive status. If you are employed by any other federal institution (including the VA), you do not qualify for Military/Public Health Active status. Your license will be renewed at Inactive status. Please contact our office if you have additional questions about your status.
Back
|
27. What if I have been called up to active military duty overseas? Can I renew my license?
Short:
Yes. You may have a person you have designated to have power of attorney (POA) renew your license and return it to the Board with the appropriate payment.
Long.
Your license renewal notification will be mailed to the most recent mailing address on file with the Board. Whoever you have designated as your power of attorney (POA) may request a paper form and return it with payment for the appropriate renewal fee, a copy of the POA form, and a copy of the Order to Active Duty, or written explanation that you are unavailable to complete the renewal form because you have been called up to active duty out of the country.
Back
|
28. I plan to practice medicine across state lines. Are there additional requirements to qualify for this status?
Short.
Yes.
Long.
In order to qualify for Telemedicine Active, Telemonitoring Active, or Teleradiology Active status, you must meet the requirements for this status specified in OAR Chapter 847, Division 025. Radiologists and medical directors for insurance companies often want this status, but their activities can be construed as 'consulting', which does not require an active Oregon license. They often give information or direction to the primary treating physician, not directly to the patient.
You may request any of these statuses using our online renewal system.
Back
|
|
|
| |
|
|
