Medical vs Basic Med

[JayMatt]

Anyone have a basic med that can offer some advice? I've been on a special issuance since I started flying and this year the FAA decided they were going to issue my medical instead of my AME. It's been 70 days now and I haven't heard anything. I called and was told I would be front of the line and done last week and here we are still in review. Nothing has changed in my health so I don't know why they changed the rules on me but it is what it is.

My question now is, can I cancel my request for a medical and switch to basic med? I just learned about basic Med and it seems like it's a way better option as I'm just a personal use pilot and have no intention of being anything else. Is it possible to just change what you're asking for? Is there really any reason to be anything but basic med? Thoughts?

[FoxMike]

I had a basic med for a while but I wanted to go to Canada so I went to a FAA doc and got a 3rd class for the trip.  That was years ago and I have given up the basic med and get a 3rd class every couple years. I never could understand why the special issuance route is is such a burdensome way to a medical.  If the FAA offers special issuance they should have the resources to provide the service in a reasonable time and at reasonable cost to the pilot.  Requiring expensive testing  every couple of years is mostly ridiculous.

In your case I would get a basic med and if you get a special issuance then you can choose which to keep.  Sometimes the initial special issuance is tough to get but in ensuing years things smooth out.  

[PT20J]

59 minutes ago, JayMatt said:

My question now is, can I cancel my request for a medical and switch to basic med?

It is my understanding that once you file Form 8500-8 it must go through the process and either be approved or denied; there is no way to withdraw it.

I agree with @FoxMike: Get it and then do Basic Med in the future.

Skip

[EricJ]

I don't think there's anything stopping you from doing Basic Med while you wait, if that's an option.   I don't think they're mutually exclusive.

[JayMatt]

 

36 minutes ago, FoxMike said:

I had a basic med for a while but I wanted to go to Canada so I went to a FAA doc and got a 3rd class for the trip.  That was years ago and I have given up the basic med and get a 3rd class every couple years. I never could understand why the special issuance route is is such a burdensome way to a medical.  If the FAA offers special issuance they should have the resources to provide the service in a reasonable time and at reasonable cost to the pilot.  Requiring expensive testing  every couple of years is mostly ridiculous.

In your case I would get a basic med and if you get a special issuance then you can choose which to keep.  Sometimes the initial special issuance is tough to get but in ensuing years things smooth out.  

in my case it's every year which sucks. So I just can't go to Canada on basic med? I can deal with that. I don't see myself flying out of the country ever. 

[hammdo]

Mexico and Bahamas I believe are good with basic med… I did SI for a couple of years until I went basic med due to the SI rules/requirements/costs.

-Don

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, JayMatt said:

Anyone have a basic med that can offer some advice? I've been on a special issuance since I started flying and this year the FAA decided they were going to issue my medical instead of my AME. It's been 70 days now and I haven't heard anything. I called and was told I would be front of the line and done last week and here we are still in review. Nothing has changed in my health so I don't know why they changed the rules on me but it is what it is.

My question now is, can I cancel my request for a medical and switch to basic med? I just learned about basic Med and it seems like it's a way better option as I'm just a personal use pilot and have no intention of being anything else. Is it possible to just change what you're asking for? Is there really any reason to be anything but basic med? Thoughts?

Not sure about First and Second Class medicals, but I read this morning that the FAA (in spite of their marketing propaganda) rejected 8% of the 75,000 Third Class medicals in 2022.  A bunch of those had to be renewals, and now there are thousands of pilots wishing they had gone to Basic Med while they had a good medical.

[0TreeLemur]

4 hours ago, hammdo said:

I did SI for a couple of years until I went basic med due to the SI rules/requirements/costs.

I've been on a SI for the last 4 years for a treatable condition, where every-other year the FAA issues a 1 year extension to my 1-year AME approved class 3 medical.  My medical is due in Nov. and I'm going to switch to basic med. 

[DCarlton]

I took the AOPA hosted basic med training today for the first time. There are a lot of tutorials and resources available with the training.  You can take the training without taking the step to request the certificate which occurs after the physical.  My first basic med physical with my GP is in Nov.  Recommend you read the privacy statements.  

[midlifeflyer]

16 hours ago, JayMatt said:

My question now is, can I cancel my request for a medical and switch to basic med?

Unfortunately, once your FAA medical application is in process (when your AME pulls it up from the system), you are in the approval/denial world. There is no medical mulligan.

Is your current medical expired or can you still fly on it?  In theory, you can fly on BasicMed right now based on your existing certificate not being revokes or withdrawn, but if the denial comes, that will be over.  Hopefully, your SI will ultimately be approved and you can make the change.

[JayMatt]

On 10/26/2023 at 5:21 PM, Fly Boomer said:

Not sure about First and Second Class medicals, but I read this morning that the FAA (in spite of their marketing propaganda) rejected 8% of the 75,000 Third Class medicals in 2022.  A bunch of those had to be renewals, and now there are thousands of pilots wishing they had gone to Basic Med while they had a good medical.

well that makes me feel so much better

[JayMatt]

On 10/27/2023 at 5:55 AM, midlifeflyer said:

 

Is your current medical expired or can you still fly on it?  

expired right now. So All i do is drive to the hangar and run the plane every other week for an hour and taxi up and down my hangar row...

[Ron McBride]

Go fly with an instructor.   I used that si time to work on my instrument rating.   Eventually went basic med.  not currently flying anymore.   

[hammdo]

Ditto- flew with instructor while waiting on my first SI…

Keeps you sharp…

-Don

[Rick Junkin]

Unfortunately as stated above you are stuck until you get the SI back from Oklahoma City. Brief with your instructor and declare he is PIC and I think you'll be good to go to fly with him in the interim. 

Once you get the SI/renewed medical go get your Basic Med physical exam, complete the online course and "declare" you are flying under Basic Med as soon as possible. You can certify with Basic Med concurrent with a valid medical certificate, no problem. Then keep yourself clean for the duration of your 3rd class medical certificate (until it expires) and then don't look back. It's important not to have any action against your 3rd class medical certificate because if it's revoked for any reason you no longer qualify for Basic Med. Make sure you completely understand your SI and comply with any reporting requirements regarding health changes to avoid any potential revocation due to not following the rules in the SI. Once the 3rd class expires you'll be out from under the SI and only need to be concerned with the Basic Med health items that require a re-examination by the FAA. Then it's up to you to make the no go/go decision from a health perspective. Evaluate and decide wisely.

Cheers,
Rick

[EricJ]

You can get Basic Med with an expired medical.   

[cliffy]

I gave up on renewing the SI because of all the hoops and delays with OKC Med every year. Held !st Class for 40+years

Had an eye issue (not changing) but they delayed every reissue of the SI for months and that subtracted from the valid 1 year time limit every time. 

Decided  after the last Si issuance to go Basic Med and never looked back

If you can deal with the limitations -  altitude, seats, speed, no Canada (that may change) then go Basic Med and get OKC out of your life.

I have better care by my GP now than I ever had trying to stay certified in Class 1 or 3. 

You need to have held a valid FAA med to qualify to go Basic Med but now if you are in the lineup for another class med then you'll need to wait it out. If you make it great! Go get the Basic Med If you don't you may be out of luck.

[MikeOH]

@Parker_Woodruff

How does basic med affect insurance issuance and premiums?

Thanks!

[Parker_Woodruff]

19 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

@Parker_Woodruff

How does basic med affect insurance issuance and premiums?

Thanks!

It rarely matters in piston GA.  Sometimes it's a requirement by some underwriters for pilots above a certain age.  Doesn't seem to be premium-bearing.

[PeteMc]

4 hours ago, MikeOH said:

How does basic med affect insurance issuance and premiums?

First call before switching might be to your Insurance Broker/Company to see if they care.  Next call would be to AOPA to get more info from them and to see what the status of their potential Insurance Co.  They have been talking about how some insurance companies are milking their clients when there is NO data to show a Basic being an issue.  So they were either going to create (maybe purchase) and insurance company to deal with this issue.  I'd actually be curious where that stands and if they're still moving forward. 

 

[Parker_Woodruff]

7 hours ago, PeteMc said:

  So they were either going to create (maybe purchase) and insurance company to deal with this issue.  I'd actually be curious where that stands and if they're still moving forward. 

 

I haven't heard of this.  But I can tell you that the cases of insurance underwriters not accepting BasicMed are the exception in the insurance world right now...definitely not the rule.

[Niko182]

As long as you had a valid medical after July 2006, you can get your basic med right now. Your medical doesn't need to be current. Limitations are less than 6 people, less than 6000 pounds, less than 250 knots, no for hire work, and no Class A. Don't really think you're going to run into those limitations with a J model. My mom used to be on Special issuance class 3. After the annoyances of dealing with the FAA, she got her Basic Med, and didn't have to deal with special issuance or the FAA anymore.

You could probably be flying in less than a week if you just got your basic med. The current medical that the FAA is taking there time with hasn't been denied, so you are still very much eligible for basic med. If it gets approved, then ignore it, and just continue with basic med. If it does get denied, then you will lose your basic med as well.

[PeteMc]

2 hours ago, Parker_Woodruff said:

definitely not the rule.

Even though I don't plan to get a Basic any time soon, good to know.  There was a lot of talk about it last summer when AOPA was making their rounds to the various airports.  At that time I think they were already pushing the Ins. Co. on it, so maybe they backed down.  Either that or it was the pocket book... If I had a Basic Med and my Ins. Co. wouldn't cover me, I'd probably switch Ins Co before I changed my Basic Med.  

[Hank]

11 minutes ago, PeteMc said:

Even though I don't plan to get a Basic any time soon, good to know.  There was a lot of talk about it last summer when AOPA was making their rounds to the various airports.  At that time I think they were already pushing the Ins. Co. on it, so maybe they backed down.  Either that or it was the pocket book... If I had a Basic Med and my Ins. Co. wouldn't cover me, I'd probably switch Ins Co before I changed my Basic Med.  

I've been using Basic Med for 5 years now, not because I have health issues but because I really dislike the local AME and didn't enjoy driving 40 miles to his office, then the same 40 miles home. It's fine, my C really isn't happy above 10K in the Deep South, it takes forever to get that high. For the other limitations:

• All Mooneys [except for a very few M22 Mustangs, which I'll never own] are less than 6 seats.
• All Mooneys ever built have Gross Weight << 6000 lbs.
• All Mooneys ever built have Vne << 250 knots indicated.
• Only Turbo Mooneys go to Class A (which starts at 18,000 msl), and I'll never own one. Took my C up slowly, step climbing one August afternoon, and eventually stopped at 15,000 msl. Didn't like the slow step climb, didn't like the handling, and decided I don't need to buy an oxygen rig.

As for the medical "being current," the Basic Med paperwork must be completed by a doctor every four years [I use a local urgent care place, it costs ~$65], and you must take the [free] online class hosted by AOPA [membership is not required to reach the class] every two years. Do that, keep the paperwork at home, and your Basic Medical is Current.

Easy peasy, no need to track down distant AMEs and sit around their waiting rooms full of sick people. I used a pediatrician twice, waiting more than an hour beyond my appointment in a sitting room full of coughing, sneezing, drooling kids too young to know to wipe their faces, not touch everything or not put as much as possible into their mouths then back out again. But I thought I'd be less out of my comfort zone than going to the OB/GYN office . . . . .

Now I just stand around the usually empty urgent care place for a few minutes before heading in the back.    Ain't had no trouble with insurance the whole time, have seen only the same or lesser increases as others discuss here. Thanks, @Parker_Woodruff!

[midlifeflyer]

3 hours ago, PeteMc said:

Even though I don't plan to get a Basic any time soon, good to know.  There was a lot of talk about it last summer when AOPA was making their rounds to the various airports.  At that time I think they were already pushing the Ins. Co. on it, so maybe they backed down.  Either that or it was the pocket book... If I had a Basic Med and my Ins. Co. wouldn't cover me, I'd probably switch Ins Co before I changed my Basic Med.  

I remember a lot of talk about how insurance companies would reject BasicMed when it was first put into place (6-7 years ago). Usual negativity. What I have heard recently is some hesitation with older pilots (mid 70's and upward). But so far the only special limitation I've seen about that in a policy was requiring an annual BasicMed CME instead of relying on an examination every 4 years.