Military Physicians Who Are Returning to Active Status
Due to changes in the United States Code (federal law), physicians who are currently working for the Department of Defense were required to have an unrestricted medical license by October 1, 1999 to continue to practice medicine in the military.
Per 10 U.S.C. 1094: "In the case of a physician, the physician may not provide health care as a physician under this chapter unless the current license is an unrestricted license that is not subject to limitation on the scope of practice ordinarily granted to other physicians for a similar specialty by a jurisdiction that granted the license." (California's fee exempt status does limit the practice of military physicians to practice on federal property or to military personnel and military beneficiaries.)
Specific Information Regarding Returning to Active Status
Physicians who are returning to active status will be responsible for paying the full $790 renewal fee. There is only one fee for active licenses and there are no provisions in California law for prorated licenses. California does not have a different fee scale for physicians who are residents/interns/fellows.
The license renewal is due on the physician's birth month every two years. The amendment in the United States Code does not change the physician's expiration date. Therefore, there will be differing lengths of time for physicians who return to active status before they must renew. All physicians who return to full active status by October 1, 1999 will pay the $805 fee for the current renewal period. There will be instances in which a physician will pay the full renewal fee and will have to renew on his or her next birth month. This time period may be less than two years, depending on his or her expiration date.
To return to active status, the physician must complete an "Application to Restore License to Full, Active Status from Inactive, Disabled or Fee Exempt Status or from Disabled Status to Active Status with Limitations on Practice." The instructions for completing the form are contained within the body of the form. For questions or further information, please contact the Consumer Information Unit at (916) 263-2382.
Business and Professions Code 2440
