IS YOUR MEDICAL EVALUATION CAUGHT IN THE COAST GUARD BOTTLENECK?
The Coast Guard last month reported a backlog of over 4,000 medical evaluations at its National Maritime Center (NMC) in Martinsburg, W.Va. As reported in the Jan. 26, Wheelhouse Weekly, the time it takes NMC to process mariners' medical evaluations has more than doubled-from fewer than 40 days to 89 days-since the Coast Guard introduced centralized medical vetting procedures in the second half of 2008.
Is your medical evaluation one of the thousands awaiting action at the National Maritime Center? If so, we want to know about it so we can take your concerns to Congress. Please immediately send an e-mail to communications@bridgedeck.org that specifies:
-- Your name, address, e-mail and phone number;
-- Number of years you have been a merchant mariner;
-- License you sail under;
-- Date you sent your application for upgrade or renewal to the Coast Guard;
-- How long before your license was scheduled to expire you started the renewal process;
-- Dates and nature of follow-up correspondence with the Coast Guard, including requests by NMC that you undergo additional medical tests;
-- Any details about how long it took you to complete the additional medical tests, in particular given the need to schedule them during periods when you were not at sea.
MM&P supports legislation that was introduced in the last session of Congress by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) which would allow doctors on a designated list of qualified medical examiners to perform physical exams and certify mariners as being fit for duty. It is hoped that the legislation will be reintroduced this year and acted on swiftly by Congress. You can help by sharing your experiences with MM&P's friends in Congress, who are aware that delays in license renewals and upgrades can compromise your ability to work and support your family.
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