PA extends license renewal deadline for healthcare professionals

News

Posted: Dec 22, 2020 / 02:12 PM EST / Updated: Dec 22, 2020 / 02:15 PM EST

Notes to medical personnel hang in an area as nurses prepare to ender a COVID-19 unit at Starr County Memorial Hospital in Rio Grande City, Texas. As the coronavirus pandemic surges across the nation and infections and hospitalizations rise, medical administrators are scrambling to find enough nursing help — especially in rural areas and at small hospitals. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Pennsylvania plans to extend the license renewal deadline for healthcare professionals who are licensed under the State Board of Medicine.

The state also plans to extend emergency temporary licenses granted to licensed practitioners in other states and jurisdictions and will extend reactivated licenses for retired and inactive licensed practitioners in PA.

Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar cited an increase in COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania as the reason for allowing as many healthcare professionals as possible to serve patients.

“The Department of State’s goal since the beginning of the emergency disaster declaration is to remove unnecessary administrative barriers for our licensed professionals so they can continue to practice during the pandemic,” Boockvar said.

Here are the new extensions:

The renewal deadline for licensees under the State Board of Medicine is extended by 90 days, to March 31, 2021. Licenses will remain in “active” status on the Department’s website until March 31, 2021.
The renewal deadline for emergency temporary licenses has been extended to June 30, 2021.
Previous license reactivation waivers have been extended to allow retired/inactive Pennsylvania practitioners who have reactivated, or wish to reactivate, their Board of Medicine license to assist in the pandemic.
If those practitioners who have reactivated licenses are unable to meet the renewal requirements prior to the December 31 deadline, they may still continue to practice after December 31, 2020, and will have until June 30, 2021, to meet the renewal requirements, including the accumulation of sufficient continuing education credits.

Additional information can be found on the Department of State’s website.