FAA Withdraws Medical Denial Policy, Opting for Education Campaign With Industry
On Wednesday, April 23, the FAA’s acting administrator announced that the FAA will not be moving ahead with its previously announced policy of denying incomplete medical applications deferred by aviation medical examiners (AMEs), and will instead partner with the aviation community to educate pilots on best practices for medical applications that help both the applicant and the FAA. The announcement was made at an FAA/industry listening session held by the agency to discuss ideas for improving the airmen medical process. The FAA’s federal air surgeon and deputy air surgeon provided updates on a number of initiatives that the Office of Aerospace Medicine has underway to enhance and improve the medical application process and the processing of aviation medical applications deferred by an AME.
The FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine is working toward the goal of processing medical applications in a “timely, consistent, and transparent” manner to return as many airmen as possible to flying status. Enhancements underway include improvements to the MedExpress portal, further developments to the FAA’s online information, including the Guide to Aviation Medical Examiners, and partnering with industry on education efforts to assist applicants in submitting complete medical applications.
The FAA has seen a significant increase in medical applications in the past few years. With this increase has also come an increase in the number of “complicated” medicals requiring additional information and review by the agency through the special issuance process. At times, the FAA reported that 50% of these cases, which are required to be deferred by the AME, are incomplete and require additional communication between the FAA and applicant. This communication adds weeks to the review process and can be avoided if the applicant provides the information at the initial exam.
EAA’s medical advocacy over the past several decades has focused on reducing the number of diagnoses that result in “complicated” applications, and has been successful. Most notably, the FAA now handles more than two dozen conditions that may have required special issuances in the past as “Conditions AMEs Can Issue” or CACIs. As the name suggests, these conditions can now be certified by the AME, usually on the day of the exam, through a simple checklist. EAA continues to work hard on simplifying the application process, especially in the area of mental health.
EAA highlighted during the listening session that applicants with diagnoses that remain “complicated” are currently challenged to understand what supporting information the FAA requires. The FAA relies heavily on the information presented in the Guide to Aviation Medical Examiners as the repository for this information. The challenge for airmen, especially those submitting their first medical application, or reporting a new condition for the first time, is that this document is primarily written for medical professionals and is not always in a user friendly format for the general public. The federal air surgeon agreed and indicated that this is an area of focus for the Office of Aerospace Medicine and they are working on developing information aimed at the airmen.
The federal air surgeon also discussed the benefit that associations such as EAA, AOPA, NBAA, and others who represent pilots and who provide assistance and guidance to their members on how to navigate the medical application process. To assist with addressing the issue of the FAA’s proposed policy to deny incomplete medical applications, EAA worked with 16 other associations, unions, and trade organizations to develop a checklist to assist applicants in submitting complete applications. Additionally, EAA relies on its Aeromedical Advisory Council of volunteer senior AMEs to assist members with complicated cases.
EAA truly appreciates the FAA’s willingness to not implement their denial policy and to hold the listening session to engage with industry. The listening session is another example of the federal air surgeon’s continued commitment to improving the airmen’s medical application experience and return as many airmen to flying status as possible in a “timely, consistent, and transparent” way. EAA took the opportunity to thank and acknowledge the federal air surgeon and the Office of Aerospace Medicine for the improvements that have been made and the FAA acknowledged that there is more work to be done. EAA will continue to educate members on the importance of submitting complete medical applications while also highlighting existing materials, and new materials as they become available, to assist in the process.
Read more about this topic on the FAA’s website.
