Pritzker Paves Way for Expedited Healthcare License Reinstatement
IDFPR Issues Emergency Variances and Extensions
With the vast majority of Illinois residents working from home – or not working at all – because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has announced several variances and extensions that impact all 1.3 million Illinoisans with professional licenses. It is likely that these first five variances, issued on March 18th, 2020, will not be the last.
Healthcare Workers: Expedited Reinstatement and Streamlined Out-of-State Licensing
In fact, at his Saturday, March 21st daily coronavirus press conference, Gov. JB Pritzker issued a plea to retired healthcare workers to join the fight against the virus, indicating that the state would expedite licensing and waive fees for any healthcare professionals seeking reinstatement. “Applications will be processed on an expedited basis, and we’ll be coordinating with hospitals and health care sites throughout the state to deploy these re-enlisted medical professionals to the frontlines,” Pritzker said.
Today, March 23rd, IDFPR announced several actions to implement this directive. Specifically:
- Physicians whose licenses are expired or inactive for less than three years can temporarily restore their license, for no fee or continuing education requirement, to work under the direction of Illinois Emergency Management Agency (“IEMA”) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (“IDPH”) or in a long-term care facility, hospital, or federally qualified health center (“FQHC”). Application for physician reinstatement can be found here.
- Physician Assistants whose licenses are inactive or in non-renewed status for less than three years can also temporarily restore their license, for no fee or continuing education requirement, to work under the direction of IEMA and IDPH or in a long-term care facility, hospital, or FQHC. Applications for reinstatement can be found here.
- Licensed practical nurses, registered professional nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and respiratory care therapists whose licenses are inactive or in nonrenewed status for less than five years can also temporarily restore their license, for no fee or continuing education requirement, to work under the direction of IEMA and IDPH or in a long-term care facility, hospital, or FQHC. Applications for reinstatement can be found here.
- Out-of-State physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, and respiratory care therapists may practice in Illinois if they are licensed in another state and are in good standing. These licensees must be operating under the authority of IEMA/IDPH or at a long-term care facility, hospital or FQHC, and must meet the standards of care mandated by the respective health care acts. They must provide contact information and dates of arrival and departure on forms provided by IDFPR. This temporary practice approval expires on September 30, 2020. Applications for an Out-of-State Temporary Practice Permit can be found here.
In addition to these healthcare-focused changes, other COVID-19 variances issued by IDFPR include:
Upcoming License Renewal Extensions
Any professional licenses issued by the Department that have renewal dates between March 1st, 2020 through and including July 31st, 2020 are granted an automatic extension to renew to September 30th, 2020.
Continuing Education Obligations
All current licensees whose license renewal deadlines fall between March 1st, 2020 and July 31st, 2020 shall have up to, and including, September 30th, 2020 to complete their continuing education coursework.
The Department is also allowing licensees to complete their continuing education coursework remotely without requiring live attendance. The variance allows for interactive webinars and online distance education courses in addition to currently permitted methods.
Louis Fine: Chicago Professional License Defense Attorney
This is an unprecedented and challenging time for everyone, including licensed professionals. During this crisis, I remain committed to being a resource, counselor, and advocate for all Illinois licensees as they navigate the rapidly changing legal, regulatory, and practical landscape.
If you have questions or concerns about your professional license or how these variances and other COVID-19 changes affect you, please contact me immediately. Call (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.
