BasicMed Goes Live

I found the article on BasicMed (BasicMed Takes Effect, May 2017) very interesting. Im a big promoter of BasicMed and of AMEs doing BasicMed exams. I fully realize the article was written prior to the FAA issuing its final checklist (Form 8700-2), but allow me to share some observations.

Editorial Staff

Sunday, June 18, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

BasicMed exams cannot be denied or deferred, operating like a flight review where satisfactory results lead to an endorsement rather than a pass/fail medical certificate.
AMEs conducting BasicMed exams act as medical providers, not FAA designees, and therefore receive no FAA protection regarding liability.
The final Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC) for BasicMed was revised to avoid HIPAA violations, no longer requiring doctors to report abnormalities but only to confirm the examination of body systems.
BasicMed should be recognized as a legitimate "fourth medical" certificate, providing flight privileges equivalent to First, Second, and Third Class medicals.

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I found the article on BasicMed (“BasicMed Takes Effect,” May 2017) very interesting. I’m a big promoter of BasicMed and of AMEs doing BasicMed exams. I fully realize the article was written prior to the FAA issuing its final checklist (Form 8700-2), but allow me to share some observations.

One of the biggest advantages of BasicMed is that it cannot be denied or deferred. This is huge. It is like a flight review or an instrument proficiency check—a pilot cannot fail them. If the results are not satisfactory, the CFI simply does not endorse the logbook.