New legislation passed by state chambers would improve patients’ access to quality care

Legislative chambers in three states - South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming - have passed the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, new legislation that would create an expedited multi-state licensing pathway for qualified physicians, while expanding access to care for patients across the nation.

In South Dakota, the Senate chamber passed the Compact with broad support, including AARP South Dakota and the South Dakota State Medical Association. In Wyoming and Utah, the House chambers unanimously passed the Compact legislation by votes of 59-0 and 75-0, respectively. This progress illustrates a growing consensus that the Compact will reduce regulatory barriers for physicians, while ensuring the necessary state regulatory oversight to protect patients.

The final model Interstate Medical Licensure Compact legislation was released in September 2014. Since then, 13 states have formally introduced the legislation in their legislative chambers and more than 25 state medical and osteopathic boards have publicly expressed support for the Compact. In January 2014, a bipartisan group of 16 U.S. Senators conveyed their support for the Compact concept as a mechanism to facilitate multi-state practice and telemedicine.

The 13 states that have formally introduced Interstate Compact legislation include:

• Illinois
• Iowa
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact would modernize and streamline medical licensing while maintaining state oversight, accountability and patient protections. The new interstate compact system will help physicians improve access to care for patients in multiple jurisdictions and help underserved populations receive the healthcare they need.