Exciting news! Your Academy’s Health Policy & Legislation Committee made a visit to the Hill during their recent meeting in Washington, DC this past February and one of the items that the committee members presented to Congressional representatives has now helped introduce a new bill to provide licensure clarity for sports medicine professionals.
U.S. Senators John Thurne (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a bill, the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act, on March 10, 2015, which stipulates that health care services provided by a covered sports medicine professional to an athlete, athletic team, or staff member of an athlete or athletic team in a secondary state outside the state of licensure will be covered by the professional’s medical malpractice insurance provider.
Currently, in most states, sports medicine professionals who travel outside of the state to provide care for athletes are not covered by their medical malpractice insurance since it is beyond their licensed area to practice medicine. The Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act would allow sports medicine providers to engage in the treatment of injured athletes across state lines without taking on great professional and financial risk.
In the bill’s press release, AAPM&R Board of Governors member Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, DO, discusses how this legislation would positively affect sports medicine professionals.
Thanks to the Academy’s Health Policy & Legislation Committee for carrying this important issue to the Hill!