Why Our Doctors Need National Licensure

Eliminate Red Tape and Remove Telehealth Barriers with National Licensing

Our new Commander-In-Chief is a pragmatist, not a politician. That’s why healthcare leaders are calling on President Trump to make medical license portability the law of the land.

In an open letter to the President from Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), CEO Humayun Chaudhry urged swift passage of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which would simplify multi-state licensing and improve healthcare access – especially in rural and underserved communities. FSMB also asked the President to remove barriers to telehealth services, including those provided to military personnel and veterans.

President Trump has pledged to improve Veterans Affairs’ (VA) services, but he can’t fault the VA for its policy on medical licensure. The department already allows physicians to work in any of their facilities, even if they’re licensed in just a single state.

He also vowed to eliminate unnecessary regulations, and many would argue that state-by-state medical licensure falls into that category. If a New York physician wants to get licensed in nearby New Jersey and Connecticut, he or she must provide much of the same information and pay a hefty fee and yearly renewal for each application.

This places a special burden on Alaska and Hawaii, states that are far from the mainland. Patients in Alaska or Hawaii are often forced to fly to the continental U.S. to receive speciality care, since many specialists won’t get licensed in these states that are thousands of miles away.

We urgently need doctors without state borders. National licensure would make doctors’ lives easier by eliminating red tape and expenses, and would improve patient care by making telehealth transparent nationwide.