Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 8, 2019) – Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed HB 4066 and HB 4067 into law on December 31,2018, making Michigan the 25th state to enact the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). 25 states, the District of Columbia and Guam make up the 27 jurisdictions offering an expedited pathway to licensure for physicians wishing to practice in multiple states.
“The expansion of the Compact to half of all U.S. states is an incredible achievement and testament to state medical boards’ efforts to innovate and improve license portability,” said FSMB President and CEO Humayun Chaudhry, DO. “We welcome Michigan into the Compact and are pleased that Michiganders will benefit from having increased access to medical care.”
The Compact legislation was supported in Michigan by Ascension Michigan, Trinity Health, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association, and AARP Michigan, among others.
“Ascension Michigan applauds the passage of legislation providing for the state of Michigan to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact,” said Sean Gehle, Chief Advocacy Officer, Ascension Michigan. “We believe that not only will the Compact facilitate increased access to healthcare for patients in underserved areas of our state, allowing them to more easily connect to medical experts through the use of telemedicine, but also provide for a more streamlined and expeditious process for recruitment of physicians to these same underserved areas.”
“Trinity Health is excited to recognize the passage of legislation providing for the state of Michigan to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact,” said Bill Manns, President, St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor and Livingston Hospitals. “This will be very helpful in increasing access to health care for patients in underserved areas of our state. The compact will provide pathways and additional resources to more efficiently interact with medical experts through the use of telemedicine. The compact also provides for a more streamlined and timely process for recruitment of physicians to these same underserved areas.”
Michigan joins 24 states, Guam and the District of Columbia in enacting legislation to join the Compact. These states include Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The initiative remains under consideration in Kentucky, New Mexico and South Carolina.
The IMLC’s application process officially went live on April 6, 2017, and its first license was issued on April 20, 2017. As of December 31, 2018, 4,511 medical licenses have been issued and 2,400 applications processed through the IMLC. To learn more about the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, please visit IMLCC.org.
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