AMERICAN BOARD OF PHYSICIAN SPECIALTIES

Defense

There is an impending shortage of physicians and other healthcare professionals to meet the needs of the nations military forces. Current DOD regulations permit the existence of a monopoly by one multispecialty physician certifying board, ABMS, resulting in highly qualified physicians being underutilized or outright denied for credentialing. This has also created barriers to recruitment for tens of thousands of physicians who are now unable to provide essential services to our military within the U.S. and for deployment. Exasperating the situation, DoD regulations1 provide up to $6,000 in annual bonuses to physicians, but only if certified by ABMS. This is both prejudicial and exclusionary which goes against DOD's own regulations. We are working to educate both Senate and House offices to provide language within the National Defense Authorization Act that would open regulations for physicians board certified by competing boards of certification and for board certification that are needed and not listed. This would break down barriers to physician recruitment that is sorely needed as well as would prevent current physicians serving in the military to not separate from service based on their board certification. Board certification has nothing to do with Medical Licensure and is an academic accolade that allows physicians to demonstrate their knowledge within the specialty they practice. Competing boards to ABMS are already recognized under the Department of Labor, CMS and the GI Bill.

TargetedSENATE · HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Health Issues

There is an impending shortage of physicians and other healthcare professionals to meet the needs of the nations military forces. Current DOD regulations permit the existence of a monopoly by one multispecialty physician certifying board, ABMS, resulting in highly qualified physicians being underutilized or outright denied for credentialing. This has also created barriers to recruitment for tens of thousands of physicians who are now unable to provide essential services to our military within the U.S. and for deployment. Exasperating the situation, DoD regulations1 provide up to $6,000 in annual bonuses to physicians, but only if certified by ABMS. This is both prejudicial and exclusionary which goes against DOD's own regulations. We are working to educate both Senate and House offices to provide language within the National Defense Authorization Act that would open regulations for physicians board certified by competing boards of certification and for board certification that are needed and not listed. This would break down barriers to physician recruitment that is sorely needed as well as would prevent current physicians serving in the military to not separate from service based on their board certification. Board certification has nothing to do with Medical Licensure and is an academic accolade that allows physicians to demonstrate their knowledge within the specialty they practice. Competing boards to ABMS are already recognized under the Department of Labor, CMS and the GI Bill.