Just got my new Geezer Med, but how does FAA...

Is your ‘geezer med’ medical marijuana?
 
kgruber said:
if all you do is put the paperwork in your logbook?
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If that’s all you do then you haven’t fulfilled the requirements for Basic Med. You need to take one of the online courses when you first get the medical and then 24 months later. The date of the course info is forwarded to the FAA.
 
You submit the doctor's name, license number and exam date after completing the BasicMed online course quiz. The course submission is the only information sent to the FAA.
 
By your post and the dates it would appear that you did your medical exam (CMEC) a few months early but still have a few months before your online course and therefore your BasicMed expires. Nothing wrong with that per se and you are good to go until your online course expires on 7/31/2022. When you take the online course again and enter your CMEC information, your CMEC date will update. However, I believe it is best if you keep everything on the same schedule, so you might want to go ahead and do the online course to reset your dates and have both events expiring in the same month.
 
SkyDog58 said:
By your post and the dates it would appear that you did your medical exam (CMEC) a few months early but still have a few months before your online course and therefore your BasicMed expires. Nothing wrong with that per se and you are good to go until your online course expires on 7/31/2022. When you take the online course again and enter your CMEC information, your CMEC date will update. However, I believe it is best if you keep everything on the same schedule, so you might want to go ahead and do the online course to reset your dates and have both events expiring in the same month.
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Only curious, why would the same schedule have any value?
 
Mxfarm said:
Only curious, why would the same schedule have any value?
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Because geezers might be more likely to forget two due months rather than one. Mine are both due the same month and it is the same month as my flight review. Just my opinion and personal preference.
 
Nothing wrong with that per se and you are good to go until your online course expires on 7/31/2022.

That’s not correct. The second online course is good for 24 months but it doesn’t extend the four year date when you need to see the doctor again. As I read the FAR the pilot in the example needs another medical at the end of the June 2022. BUT AOPA in their original guidance said that his basic med expires on the date of the exam.
 
It’s a 24 calendar month look back for the online course and a 48 month look back for the physician exam. The date of the physician exam only updates online when you submit a new course completion (or update information). You’re legal as long as you’re within the window of both, regardless of what the online site shows. That said, if you happened to be ramp checked and the inspector saw the old date in the system, he or she might ask you to follow up with proof that your exam is up to date as well. No biggie either way.
 
JScarry said:
Nothing wrong with that per se and you are good to go until your online course expires on 7/31/2022.

That’s not correct. The second online course is good for 24 months but it doesn’t extend the four year date when you need to see the doctor again. As I read the FAR the pilot in the example needs another medical at the end of the June 2022. BUT AOPA in their original guidance said that his basic med expires on the date of the exam.
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Yep, for some unknown reason, law creating BasicMed specified that the exam date be with 48 months, not calendar months, so it technically expires on 6/15/2022.
 
Basic Med went into effect exactly as the statute passed by Congress read. The FAA has had five years to make technical corrections, but they are only beginning to do so. The normal rulemaking process allows for interested parties to comment on proposals, and say things like "Why do you have different time rules for the course and the exam?" so that these things could be ironed out beforehand.

Of course the FAA and DOT--plenty of blame to go around--literally spent decades not doing any sort of medical reform, so the crude instrument of legislation was the only way to get it done. Far from perfect of course, but Basic Med is pretty damn good for most people.
Jon
 
Brad Z said:
Yep, for some unknown reason, law creating BasicMed specified that the exam date be with 48 months, not calendar months, so it technically expires on 6/15/2022.
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I don’t see how you can draw that conclusion since he states he just got his NEW geezer med which I interpreted as a new CMEC. Maybe he can clarify. But if I did read it correctly then it does go to 7/31 as I stated. But what the heck do I know?
 
And unfortunately, since it might be a bit of a scheduling issue to get a new Basic Med exam, the expiration date keeps creeping up so that it doesn't expire. I don't want to wait until too close to the expiration date to have the physical in case of blizzards, etc. that might cancel an/or postpone the exam.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I don’t see how you can draw that conclusion since he states he just got his NEW geezer med which I interpreted as a new CMEC. Maybe he can clarify. But if I did read it correctly then it does go to 7/31 as I stated. But what the heck do I know?
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The OP didn’t state what he did. But unless he goes online with one of the course providers nothing is going to update on the FAA website.
 
For sure this can be confusing. At least that was my experience.

I note that the confusion is arising because of something shown in the FAA Airman Search.

Maybe it would be less confusing if that entire FAA Airman search were to vanish. Then we wouldn't be looking at that stale info for "CMEC Date" and getting confused.
 
Brad Z said:
The OP didn’t state what he did. But unless he goes online with one of the course providers nothing is going to update on the FAA website.
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Brad, read his thread title and post verbiage as a single thought. To me he is saying he got a new CMEC and wants to know how to update the date. And yes, I know he needs to do the online course to update. I thought I made that clear in my first post.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I don’t see how you can draw that conclusion since he states he just got his NEW geezer med which I interpreted as a new CMEC. Maybe he can clarify. But if I did read it correctly then it does go to 7/31 as I stated. But what the heck do I know?
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Today 2/7/2022 I had my yearly physical as paid for by Medicare and supplemental insurance. The young doctor was very nice to go ahead and sign my Basic-med paperwork. I know some will and some won't...........but he had no hesitation...........even though he'd never done one in the past.
I think I'll just go along with "Skydog" and do the written as well...............since I'm retired and can take the time.

Thanks for the clarifications. I know I did this 2 and 4 years ago...........but that was in the past. I like to say "My memory is GREAT, except for the past!
 
Arrow76R said:
And unfortunately, since it might be a bit of a scheduling issue to get a new Basic Med exam, the expiration date keeps creeping up so that it doesn't expire. I don't want to wait until too close to the expiration date to have the physical in case of blizzards, etc. that might cancel an/or postpone the exam.
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Good point. Would hate to be sipping hot cocoa next to a cozy fire, looking out the window at the swirling thunder-snow and sparkling icicle trees, thinking "if only this damn blizzard hadn't canceled my basic med exam, I could be flying right now!"

(Just kidding. I agree with your point; just think blizzard was a funny example to choose.)
 
Lindberg said:
That's not a thing though. The FAA made that up with its own interpretation.
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True, but there are plenty of specialties in which ordinary words or phrases are given special meanings unique to that specialty. "Symptom" means something different to a physician than it does to a layman, for example. In the aviation context, "accident" means something different to the NTSB than it does to a layman. I'm sure the legal profession is full of examples. What terminology would you suggest to describe what the FAA is trying to convey?
 
I just wish I could find the FAA definition in writing. It isn't in 1.1, which is where one would expect it to be as the term is used in numerous regulations. We have all been told or taught what the FAA defines it as, but where is it written?

Merriam-Webster defines it this way.
Definition of calendar month
1: one of the months as named in the calendar
2: the period from a day of one month to the corresponding day of the next month if such exists or if not to the last day of the next month (as from January 3 to February 3 or from January 31 to February 29)
 
To find mentions of 'calendar month' in the FARs, I think you can paste this into a search engine:
"calendar month" site:ecfr.gov/current/title-14

It looks like about 100 hits, depending on the search engine. I didn't notice any of them that serves as a general definition of the term, so maybe the agency figures the term doesn't require definition.
 
SkyDog58 said:
But if you use a term that many times and your definition varies from the dictionary definition, I would think you’d define it in your definitions section. Call me crazy.
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I agree.
 
Not to veer too far off track, but I plan to convert to Basic Med within the next two years - before my Third-Class expires. I understand the CMEC, and have downloaded a copy of it. I showed it to my PCP, and he indicated that he wouldn't have an issue signing it when the time comes. Heck, he did my NFPA required Fire Brigade Physicals for over 20 years. My question is on the online medical course that has to be done every 24 months. From what I am seeing, there are only two sources for the training? Is there a fee associated with the course? Recommended study material (I assume FAR/AIM is a good start)?
 
Dry Creek said:
Not to veer too far off track, but I plan to convert to Basic Med within the next two years - before my Third-Class expires. I understand the CMEC, and have downloaded a copy of it. I showed it to my PCP, and he indicated that he wouldn't have an issue signing it when the time comes. Heck, he did my NFPA required Fire Brigade Physicals for over 20 years. My question is on the online medical course that has to be done every 24 months. From what I am seeing, there are only two sources for the training? Is there a fee associated with the course? Recommended study material (I assume FAR/AIM is a good start)?
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Why wait? If your current PCP is willing to do it, knock it out at your next yearly physical. The online medical course is easy to do and there is no cost and no need to study.
 
Dry Creek said:
Not to veer too far off track, but I plan to convert to Basic Med within the next two years - before my Third-Class expires. I understand the CMEC, and have downloaded a copy of it. I showed it to my PCP, and he indicated that he wouldn't have an issue signing it when the time comes. Heck, he did my NFPA required Fire Brigade Physicals for over 20 years. My question is on the online medical course that has to be done every 24 months. From what I am seeing, there are only two sources for the training? Is there a fee associated with the course? Recommended study material (I assume FAR/AIM is a good start)?
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There are two BasicMed online course providers: AOPA and Mayo Clinic. Both are free.
 
Dry Creek said:
Recommended study material (I assume FAR/AIM is a good start)?
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You take the course and answer the questions at the end. It’s almost impossible to fail.
You can read this page if you want to study.
 
Lindberg said:
That's not a thing though. The FAA made that up with its own interpretation.
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It is a thing. The language in the law passed by Congress made one calendar months and one straight time. Hence, we have one date that expires at the end of the month and one that expires exactly to the day.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Why wait? If your current PCP is willing to do it, knock it out at your next yearly physical. The online medical course is easy to do and there is no cost and no need to study.
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Well, would having just been issued a third-class medical on 01/28/2022 be enough of an excuse? That thing is still new and shiny! And cost a pretty penny to boot.

But in all seriousness, I plan to get my BasicMed stuff behind me at the 18 month point, just to be sure.

Good to hear that the 24 month training courses are free. If they wanted to create a "gotcha", that would be the ideal requirement.
 
Dry Creek said:
Well, would having just been issued a third-class medical on 01/28/2022 be enough of an excuse?
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No.

The easiest time for a doc to sign the Basic Med form is immediately after the FAA has deemed you flightworthy.
 
Half Fast said:
No.

The easiest time for a doc to sign the Basic Med form is immediately after the FAA has deemed you flightworthy.
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Hmmm, very excellent observation. He did assist with providing the information for one of the CACI's needed. And he also ordered the Holter monitor to help verify that an issue I had fixed nearly six years ago was no longer an active concern.

I'll have to ask him when I do my annual physical in two months!
 
4CornerFlyer said:
Basic Med went into effect exactly as the statute passed by Congress read. The FAA has had five years to make technical corrections, but they are only beginning to do so. The normal rulemaking process allows for interested parties to comment on proposals, and say things like "Why do you have different time rules for the course and the exam?" so that these things could be ironed out beforehand.

Of course the FAA and DOT--plenty of blame to go around--literally spent decades not doing any sort of medical reform, so the crude instrument of legislation was the only way to get it done. Far from perfect of course, but Basic Med is pretty damn good for most people.
Jon
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Thee FAA doesn’t administer Basic Med. They have no role in making technical corrections.
 
4CornerFlyer said:
Basic Med went into effect exactly as the statute passed by Congress read. The FAA has had five years to make technical corrections, but they are only beginning to do so. The normal rulemaking process allows for interested parties to comment on proposals, and say things like "Why do you have different time rules for the course and the exam?" so that these things could be ironed out beforehand.

Of course the FAA and DOT--plenty of blame to go around--literally spent decades not doing any sort of medical reform, so the crude instrument of legislation was the only way to get it done. Far from perfect of course, but Basic Med is pretty damn good for most people.
Jon
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They're technically NOT technical corrections, since they were implemented exactly as specified. Technical corrections are typically things incorrect references, citations, bad math, etc...generally things so small that they missed the eye of the dozens and dozens of reviewers prior to publication.

There was a step that was skipped that would have made implementation a bit smoother. Typically when congress proposes a provision in a bill, they run it by the implementing agency for technical assistance. The agency doesn't weigh in on whether they like it or not, but they identify inconsistencies with existing regulations and suggested fixes. That's typically where issues like the PIC issue, calendar months, 6 certified seats, etc. would have been noted.

For whatever reason (and probably because there was a lot of horse trading at the 11th hour over it) that step wasn't done. Unfortunately FAA lawyers don't really buy into the "that's what congress meant to say" argument unless that order comes from pretty high in the organization. By implementing it exactly as published in the congressional record, the FAA could skip the notice and comment period and actually implement the rule within the 1 year statutory obligation (with about 75 days to spare). That's relatively lighting fast for government speed.
 
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