PA’s Professional Licensing waivers to expire beginning August 17

The Pennsylvania Department of State has announced that its professional licensing waivers issued under the COVID-19 disaster declaration will begin to expire in several phases starting August 17.

Under Act 21 of 2021, all waived and suspended regulations initiated because of the COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration will expire on September 30, 2021, unless terminated sooner. Licensed professionals and other individuals impacted by these waivers are urged to make every effort to return to compliance as soon as possible.

The nearly 100 waivers approved by the administration temporarily eased regulations to allow such things as extended temporary practice permits and expanded scopes of practice for certain health professions, expedited reactivations to allow retired licensees to join pandemic response efforts more easily, and emergency temporary licenses for out-of-state practitioners who wished to help in Pennsylvania.

“The COVID-19 disaster declaration allowed us to mobilize our licensees to respond to this crisis while protecting the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians,” said Professional and Occupational Affairs Commissioner Kalonji Johnson. “With the end of the disaster declaration, licensees must go back to practicing and learning as they did pre-pandemic.”

A list of all waivers and anticipated expiration dates is available on the Department of State website.

The department is notifying licensing boards, licensees, and stakeholders about the expiring waivers.

The legislature ended the COVID-19 disaster declaration in June, while extending some license waivers. Without a disaster declaration, the governor and Department of State cannot further extend the waivers. Legislative action is necessary to extend any waiver beyond September 30.

“We know that some of these waivers were vital to licensees during the pandemic and that it would benefit their patients and those they serve if some of them were made permanent,” said Commissioner Johnson. “The department is continuing discussions with the General Assembly about the needs and concerns of our licensees.”

For more information on the Department of State’s COVID-19 licensing waivers, visit the department’s website.

COMPLETE LIST OF DOS WAIVER EXPIRATIONS:

Expiring August 17

Retired/Inactive Professionals: Reactivations for retired healthcare practitioners & licensees who went inactive or allowed their license to expire or lapse related to the following boards:
State Board of Medicine, State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, State Board of Nursing, State Board of Pharmacy,State Board of Occupational Therapy, State Board of Physical Therapy, State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology,

and the following specific license types:
Behavior Specialists, Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Expanded Function Dental Assistants, Funeral Directors, Nursing Home Administrators, Podiatrists, Practical Nurses (LPNs), Social Workers, Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians.
Expiring: August 17

State Board of Medicine Retired Professionals & Out-of-State Healthcare Practitioners: Waiver extending the State Board of Medicine renewal deadline, continuing license reactivations for retired professionals (Note: The passage of Act 21 of 2021 extended the expiration date of temporary licenses issued to out-of-state healthcare practitioners to September 30th, 2021.)
Expiring: August 17

Respiratory Therapy Students: Waiver of Temporary Permit Rule for Respiratory Therapists.
Expiring: August 17

Clinical Clerks: This waiver expands clinical clerk services beyond providing services to patients in assigned hospitals.
Expiring: August 17

 

Expiring on August 31

Suspension of certain regulations for Nurse-Midwives: This waiver allows for streamlined reactivations and suspends requirements related to identification of categories of drugs that a Certified Nurse-Midwife with Prescriptive Authority may prescribe or dispense.
Expiring: August 31

Dentists, Oral Surgeons, Athletic Trainers, Chiropractors, Podiatrists: These waivers allow for additional medical providers to help with COVID-19 operations outside of their traditional scope of practice.
Expiring: August 31

 

Expiring on September 15

Barbers, Cosmetologists, Crane Operators, Nurses and Perfusionists:This waiver extends certain temporary permits and licenses for these professionals.
Expiring: September 15

Perfusionists: This waiver extends temporary licenses for graduate perfusionists.
Expiring: September 15

Graduate Medical Trainees: This waiver suspends certain administrative requirements for Graduate Medical Trainees.
Expiring: September 15

Federal and Military Medical Personnel: This waiver suspends certain licensing requirements for military medical personnel, including members of the National Guard, during the coronavirus emergency.
Expiring: September 15

 

Expiring on September 30

Out-of-State Health Care Practitioners: This waiver allows for the issuance of expedited temporary licenses to practitioners in other states to provide services to Pennsylvanians. The suspension applies to the State Board of Medicine, the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, and the State Board of Nursing.
Expiring: September 30

Medical Doctors and the number of institutions with which they can be affiliated: This waiver suspends the institutional-license requirements that limit qualified medical doctors to practice at no more than two affiliated facilities.
Expiring: September 30

Certified Nurse Midwives: This waiver suspends requirements related to the initial submission of collaborative agreements and changes to existing agreements and suspends requirements for Certified Nurse-Midwives with Prescriptive Authority.
Expiring: September 30

Physician Assistants: This waiver allows physician assistants under the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and the State Board of Medicine to assist with COVID-19 emergency response efforts more easily and effectively by suspending requirements pertaining to written agreements and several other items.
Expiring: September 30

Certified Public Accountants, Licensed Respiratory Therapists, Massage Therapists, Optometrists, Licensed Osteopathic Respiratory Therapists, Podiatrists, Veterinarians, Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Expanded Function Dental Assistants, Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers, Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors: This waiver suspends restrictions that limit the ability of licensees to take classes online or participate in distance-learning opportunities for the current biennial renewal period to permit all licensees to complete their continuing education online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expiring: September 30

Physicians providing Prescriptions: This waiver suspends a State Board of Medicine regulation requiring physicians to provide paper prescriptions within 72 hours of issuing an emergency prescription by telephone.
Expiring: September 30

Licensees attempting to meet Continuing Education Requirements entirely through Online Learning or Distance Education: This waiver permits licensees to satisfy up to 100 percent of their CE requirements for their next renewal with hours obtained entirely through online courses from providers of distance education that meet the applicable board's continuing education requirements.
Expiring: September 30

Traveling Vaccinators: This waiver allows out-of-state healthcare providers to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania.
Expiring: September 30

Retired Physicians and Nurses and other Healthcare Professionals administering COVID-19 Vaccinations: This waiver allows some retired physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to administer the COVID-19 Vaccine.
Expiring: September 30

Allowing Qualified Pennsylvania Vaccinators to administer COVID-19 Vaccine to 16 & 17-Year-Olds and 12 to 15-Year-Olds: This waiver allows qualified Pennsylvania vaccinators to administer COVID-19 Vaccine to 16 & 17-Year-Olds, as well as 12 to 15-Year-Olds.
Expiring: September 30

Volunteers administering the COVID-19 Vaccination: This waiver allows licensed volunteers under the State Board of Medicine, the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, and the State Board of Nursing to administer vaccinations in settings that fall outside the definition of "approved clinic," including community-based, primary-care clinics and clinics in medically underserved areas.
Expiring: September 30

Clinical Clerks administering COVID-19 Vaccinations: This waiver allows clinical clerks licensed under the State Board of Medicine and the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine to assist in administering COVID-19 vaccinations across Pennsylvania, rather than just in the hospitals to which they have been assigned.
Expiring: September 30

Graduate Medical Trainees administering COVID-19 Vaccinations: This waiver increases the ability of Graduate Medical Trainees under the State Board of Medicine and the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine to administer the COVID-19 vaccination at various location through Pennsylvania, rather than their assigned medical training facility.
Expiring: September 30

Certified Nurse Midwives, Dentists, Dental students, Optometrists, Optometry students, Physician Assistants, Physician Assistant students, Podiatrists, Podiatry students, Respiratory Therapists, Respiratory Therapy students, Veterinarians, Veterinary students that may administer COVID-19 vaccines: This waiver allowed a number of professions that would not otherwise be able to administer COVID vaccines to participate n COVID-19 vaccination programs.
Expiring: September 30

Licensed Health Care Practitioners providing Telemedicine Services: This waiver allows health care professionals licensed under any of the Department of State's BPOA licensing boards to provide services to patients via telemedicine during the coronavirus emergency.
Expiring: September 30

Physician Assistants assisting with emergency response efforts: This waiver suspends the statute allowing for supervision of no more than 4 Physician Assistants (PA) by a Physician. It also suspends the requirement that all physicians with whom a physician assistant is assisting be named on the written agreement as well as regulations that require contact information for at least two substitute supervising physicians. Further, suspension of the requirement that written agreements receive board approval and suspension of the requirement that temporary authorization to practice be issued for up to 120 days upon board receipt of a complete written agreement.
Expiring: September 30

Licensed Professionals such as Certified Public Accountants, Licensed Respiratory Therapists, Massage Therapists, Optometrists, Licensed Osteopathic Respiratory Therapists, Podiatrists, Veterinarians, Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Expanded Function Dental Assistants, Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers, Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors; RE: Permissible Amount of Online CEs: This waiver suspends restrictions that limit the ability of licensees to take classes online or participate in distance-learning opportunities for the current biennial renewal period to permit all licensees to complete their continuing education online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expiring: September 30

Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons Licensed in Other States seeking Short Term Licensure in PA during the COVID-19 Emergency: This waiver utilizes the existing 'short-term camp license' and waives requirements that streamline the process for those seeking emergency issuance of license.
Expiring: September 30

Individuals working toward licensure as a behavior specialist via telemedicine or teletherapy: This waiver allows for hours of clinical experience obtained by individuals working toward licensure as a behavior specialist via telemedicine or teletherapy during the duration of the COVID-19 emergency be recognized as valid and counted towards the 1,000 hours of clinical experience.
Expiring: September 30

Buprenorphine Treatment Via Telemedicine Expands Access to Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: This waiver suspends the requirement that physician and surgeons must take an initial medical history and physical examination requirement to expand access to buprenorphine treatment to treat opioid use disorder.
Expiring: September 30

 

Expired Waivers

Extension of Various Renewal Deadlines (due Apr. 30 − June 30, 2020)
COVID-19 License Renewal Extensions for Nurses and Others
Expired

Post Graduate Year (PGY) Level 2 and 3 Advancement and Exam Results Reporting
Pennsylvania Waives Certain Requirements for Graduate Medical Trainees During COVID-19 Emergency
Expired

Extension of Additional Temporary Licenses and Permits That Are Due to Lapse or Expire While Licensing Exams and Centers are Closed
Pennsylvania Extends Expiration Dates of Temporary Permits for Additional Licensees During COVID-19 Emergency
Expired

Medical Board Renewal Extension
Pennsylvania Extends License Renewal Deadline for State Board of Medicine
Expired