Senate Bill No. 271–Senators Carlton, Rawson, Care, Neal, O’Connell, Amodei, Coffin, McGinness, Schneider and Shaffer

 

Joint Sponsors: Assemblymen Giunchigliani, Parks, Anderson, Dini, Goldwater, Hettrick, Neighbors and Von Tobel

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to physicians; providing for the issuance of a special volunteer medical license to a retired physician to treat indigent persons; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

   Section 1. Chapter 630 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a

 new section to read as follows:

   1.  A physician who is retired from active practice and who wishes to

 donate his expertise for the medical care and treatment of indigent

 persons in this state may obtain a special volunteer medical license by

 submitting an application to the board pursuant to this section.

   2.  An application for a special volunteer medical license must be on

 a form provided by the board and must include:

   (a) Documentation of the history of medical practice of the physician;

   (b) Proof that the physician previously has been issued an unrestricted

 license to practice medicine in any state of the United States and that he

 has never been the subject of disciplinary action by a medical board in

 any jurisdiction;

   (c) Proof that the physician satisfies the requirements for licensure set

 forth in NRS 630.160;

   (d) Acknowledgment that the practice of the physician under the

 special volunteer medical license will be exclusively devoted to providing

 medical care to indigent persons in this state; and

   (e) Acknowledgment that the physician will not receive any payment

 or compensation, either direct or indirect, or have the expectation of any

 payment or compensation, for providing medical care under the special

 volunteer medical license, except for payment by a medical facility at

 which the physician provides volunteer medical services of the expenses

 of the physician for necessary travel, continuing education, malpractice

 insurance or fees of the state board of pharmacy.

   3.  If the board finds that the application of a physician satisfies the

 requirements of subsection 2 and that the retired physician is competent

 to practice medicine, the board shall issue a special volunteer medical

 license to the physician.

   4.  The initial special volunteer medical license issued pursuant to

 this section expires 1 year after the date of issuance. The license may be

 renewed pursuant to this section, and any license that is renewed expires

 2 years after the date of issuance.

   5.  The board shall not charge a fee for:

   (a) The review of an application for a special volunteer medical

 license; or

   (b) The issuance or renewal of a special volunteer medical license

 pursuant to this section.

   6.  A physician who is issued a special volunteer medical license

pursuant to this section and who accepts the privilege of practicing

 medicine in this state pursuant to the provisions of the special volunteer

 medical license is subject to all the provisions governing disciplinary

 action set forth in this chapter.

   7.  A physician who is issued a special volunteer medical license

 pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements for

 continuing education adopted by the board.

   Sec. 2.  NRS 630.256 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   630.256  1.  If a licensee retires from the practice of medicine, he shall

 notify the board in writing of his intention to retire, and the board shall

 record the fact of retirement. [A] Except as otherwise provided in section

 1 of this act, a licensee who is retired may not engage in the practice of

 medicine. [Any]

   2.  Except as otherwise provided in section 1 of this act, any licensee

 who is retired and desires to return to the practice of medicine, must,

 before resuming the practice of medicine in this state:

   (a) Notify the board of his intent to resume the practice of medicine in

 this state;

   (b) File an affidavit with the board describing his activities during the

 period of his retired status;

   (c) Complete the form for registration for active status;

   (d) Pay the applicable fee for biennial registration; and

   (e) Satisfy the board of his competence to practice medicine.

   [2.] 3. If the board determines that the conduct or competence of the

 registrant during the period of retirement would have warranted denial of

 an application for a license to practice medicine in this state, the board

 may refuse to place the registrant on active status.

   Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

 

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