Those of you on Basic Med, was your Doc OK with it?

My doctor is a good friend of mine outside of work I talked to him about it sent him the paperwork and he said it was pretty similar to DOT physicals so why not. Not sure what I will do if he retires.

If I ever have one of the big three or can't find a doctor who will do Basic Med. As long as I am actually healthy enough and can self certify my plan is to buy a Champ and just fly LSA. I won't risk not flying by getting the FAA involved.
 
Last edited:
I just called my AME who did the 3rd class 2 years ago. Said nothing has changed since 2 years ago, I just wanted BMed because it's good for 4 instead of 2 years. Would even bring in my report from my PCP annual physical for documentation.

You'd have thought I went into a 5 star French restaurant and ordered a waffle. "The doctor across the board doesn't do those".

It's not like I'm now attached to a heart lung machine, hearing voices, and have multiple personalities. I just don't get it.

UPDATE: When I went to lunch, I stopped by the nearby doc in the box. The one that never called back. Showed them the BMed form, and they confirmed they could do it for $50. I'll head over some day when I have a bit of time (and now now when my BP is up from a "now what's going on" moment at work LOL).
 
Last edited:
Mission accomplished. Just walked out of urgent care after paying $50 for basic medical. Doctor has done these before - no drama.

Just took some digging to find someone who would do it. Turned out to be 1/2 mile from my house - very convenient.
 
Anonymous said:
I recently brought up Basic Med to me regular doctor, as I will be switching over once my medical expires. He basically just said he'd have to look into it, which tells me it may not be as common knowledge in the medical community as the folks at AOPA lead you to believe. If you've asked your doctor to fill out he Basic Med form, how did it go?
Click to expand...
I educated my doctor about it and she had no problem doing it, as long as i took her flying.
 
Im new to this forum and just starting training. Will be taking my FAA exam early in April. After my medical has been issued, and when I am ready to move toward basic med, does my 8500-8 go away. Does the FAA even care anymore? When basic med is in place can the FAA go back and say well you forgot to tell us about whatever. Just wondering.
 
TRC1969 said:
Im new to this forum and just starting training. Will be taking my FAA exam early in April. After my medical has been issued, and when I am ready to move toward basic med, does my 8500-8 go away. Does the FAA even care anymore? When basic med is in place can the FAA go back and say well you forgot to tell us about whatever. Just wondering.
Click to expand...
A couple things.

1) if you forgot to report something, it could be a minor inadvertent thing or it could be willful falsification of a government record. The risk and penalties for that don't go away after the medical certificate expires. This applies to a medical certificate application with the FAA, or a comprehensive medical examination checklist (CMEC) for BasicMed.

2) Your CMEC is between you and the state licensed physician that conducted your examination. The FAA generally won't see it unless they specifically ask for it, usually a result of an investigation.

3) Regardless of how you establish medical eligibility, you must adhere to the requirements of 61.53 to refrain from flying with a medical condition that would prevent you from safely operating an aircraft.
 
WDD said:
Mission accomplished. Just walked out of urgent care after paying $50 for basic medical. Doctor has done these before - no drama.

Just took some digging to find someone who would do it. Turned out to be 1/2 mile from my house - very convenient.
Click to expand...
One word of caution for those using urgent care/doc-in-a-box etc.: make sure the person signing the CMEC is a state licensed physician. Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners are common medical providers at such clinics. Health care extenders may assist with the exam, but ultimately the MD/DO must lay eyes on you and sign the form.
 
One of the problems here is that the DOT medical examiners generally are NOT physicians, but rather "designated examiners." So far, I have yet to find a doc that will play ball.

Anyway, if anyone can connect me with a doctor in Northern California who will do Basicmed, I would appreciate it. I've been spending most of my time lately in the 916 so closer to Sacramento would be better but the Bay Area will be fine too.
 
Sac Arrow said:
One of the problems here is that the DOT medical examiners generally are NOT physicians, but rather "designated examiners." So far, I have yet to find a doc that will play ball.

Anyway, if anyone can connect me with a doctor in Northern California who will do Basicmed, I would appreciate it. I've been spending most of my time lately in the 916 so closer to Sacramento would be better but the Bay Area will be fine too.
Click to expand...
Have you tried AOPA's BasicMed doctor finder? According to the opening page, doctors on their list have signed a consent form to be listed.

https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/pilots/medical/basicmed/doctor-finder
 
Brad Z said:
A couple things.

1) if you forgot to report something, it could be a minor inadvertent thing or it could be willful falsification of a government record. The risk and penalties for that don't go away after the medical certificate expires. This applies to a medical certificate application with the FAA, or a comprehensive medical examination checklist (CMEC) for BasicMed.

2) Your CMEC is between you and the state licensed physician that conducted your examination. The FAA generally won't see it unless they specifically ask for it, usually a result of an investigation.

3) Regardless of how you establish medical eligibility, you must adhere to the requirements of 61.53 to refrain from flying with a medical condition that would prevent you from safely operating an aircraft.
Click to expand...
Brad Z said:
A couple things.

1) if you forgot to report something, it could be a minor inadvertent thing or it could be willful falsification of a government record. The risk and penalties for that don't go away after the medical certificate expires. This applies to a medical certificate application with the FAA, or a comprehensive medical examination checklist (CMEC) for BasicMed.

2) Your CMEC is between you and the state licensed physician that conducted your examination. The FAA generally won't see it unless they specifically ask for it, usually a result of an investigation.

3) Regardless of how you establish medical eligibility, you must adhere to the requirements of 61.53 to refrain from flying with a medical condition that would prevent you from safely operating an aircraft.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your response. This medical thing scares me to death. Healthy now but had an accident in 2012. Head injury. Lots of meds... nothing at all now but BP meds...i just dont want to fail the exam. Good doc that the school takes you to but im still terrified. Any resources to kinda make a dry run before actually seeing the AME?
 
TRC1969 said:
Any resources to kinda make a dry run before actually seeing the AME?
Click to expand...
Call the AME's office. Someone will answer the phone....
You: "Hello, I'd like to set up a consult with the AME."
Receptionist: "OK. Fill out this FAA MedXpress form before you arrive, and have the confirmation number ready before the appointment..."
You: "No, no, I don't want to do the MedXpress form yet. I just want to meet with the AME and talk. Informally first."
Receptionist: (possibly confused) "But... you'll have to pay for it. And then come back later for the 'real thing' and pay again!"
You: "I understand that. But that's what I want to do."

If the person on the phone insists that you fill out the form first, thank them for their time and call a different AME.
 
Last edited:
Me...thanking you for your help.

Thanks a alot. Wish me luck....
 
I would contact our own POA med expert via e mail for a quick reality check - base line.
 
Brad Z said:
One word of caution for those using urgent care/doc-in-a-box etc.: make sure the person signing the CMEC is a state licensed physician. Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners are common medical providers at such clinics. Health care extenders may assist with the exam, but ultimately the MD/DO must lay eyes on you and sign the form.
Click to expand...
Great advice. I skipped a couple of doc in a box DOT places because I asked and they were not a physician. And. Review the paperwork before you leave the office like I did. My doc did everything - except sign the form LOL.
 
Called the AME. They are going to set up a tele-med to discuss. They were extremely understanding. No charge either.
 
Excellent. Do NOT open, activate, or put any information into the MedExpress / any FAA website at this time.
 
Thanks for the advice. Just makes me wonder. Im am perfectly healthy and have no effects from my head injury. Maybe Im getting upset over what may not be that much trouble at all, but if I get denied somebody needs to tell me why harrison ford can land on the taxiway, fail to stop short, come within 100 ft of a commercial airliner and is still flying. Im mean God bless him and Im glad he is still flying but really!!!!!!
 
Do not get flustered if the FAA medial process seems at times to not make sense. Like getting mad at the desert because it is hot. It just is what it is. Be honest, but tread carefully, plan well, do what you need to do, and don’t expose yourself anymore than you need.

Think of it as if you are in a court of law. Or dealing with the IRS.
 
Anonymous said:
I recently brought up Basic Med to me regular doctor, as I will be switching over once my medical expires. He basically just said he'd have to look into it, which tells me it may not be as common knowledge in the medical community as the folks at AOPA lead you to believe. If you've asked your doctor to fill out he Basic Med form, how did it go?
Click to expand...

My doc din't know about it.
He said he does DOT stuff all the time and agreed to do it.

I came in prepared with all the stuff from AOP...instructions and all, prefilled in as much as I could.
Doc didn't like it, thought it was lacking.... I don't recall much about what exactly he grumbled about. It struck me that it seemed OVERLY complicated...way too many pages and things to flip through. I do remember him pulling out an ekg and doing a few other things that weren't necessary just because he felt they should be. Regardless, he fumbled through it and signed the papers.

My opinion.... it's a good idea but poorly executed.
 
Most physicians don't know anything about BasicMed or its requirements. It may often just be a question of PCP education. I've had two PCPs in the last 5 years and I shared the paperwork and the FAQs with them prior to my annual exam. Once they saw that these are very similar to the exams that are routinely conducted for truck drivers or high school and collegiate athletes, I had no problem with my docs doing the paperwork as a part of my annual physical exam and health check.
 
Zeldman said:
It means you can wear a John Deere cap, eat at truck stops and listen to Merle Haggard on the radio....:lol:
Click to expand...
Reminds me of back when I used to go to the local Shell distributor that sold primarily into the trucking market. I got my case of oil without having to pay shipping and they gave me a country and western greatest hits tape to boot.
 
Between April, 2017 when my PCP gave me my first BasicMed physical and completed the CMEC and now, four years later when I was due for the CMEC again, my PCP retired and I have a new PCP who isn't familiar with BasicMed. He seemed reluctant, so I checked the AOPA website and discovered an AME in nearby Healdsburg who does BasicMed. I made an appointment for April 1st and had the applicant part of the CMEC already filled out and took a copy of the 2017 CMEC with me along with my most recent labs, and was in and out in 45 minutes. He charged $150.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top