Florida Veteran Health Heroes

The Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) continues to create a veteran-friendly regulatory environment to encourage military service members to choose Florida for their health care practice after active duty. A fee waiver program began in fiscal year 2013-2014 to ease most of the financial burden of applying for licensure, and participation has steadily grown. During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, 359 military veterans and spouses were licensed through VALOR, a 20 percent increase from the 2016-2017 fiscal year. TO OUR MILITARY AND VETERAN COMMUNITY VALOR expedites the licensure pro- cess and is designed with the goal to issue licenses for all qualified ini- tial applicants within one day. MQA is committed to helping ease the transition of military health profes- sionals into civilian life and seeks to encourage them to practice in Flor- ida by making the licensure process one that reflects our gratitude for their service. You may be able to keep your license in good standing and be exempted from certain license renewal provisions if you meet the following criteria: • You are an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States. • You hold a Florida health care practitioner license in good standing with your profession’s administrative board or the Department at the time of your enlistment. • You are entitled to practice or engage in your profession prior to joining the Armed Forces. If you meet these criteria, your license will be kept in good standing without your having to register, pay renewal fees, or perform any other license maintenance act. This provision remains in effect through the duration of your active duty service and for a period of six months after discharge, provided you are not actively engaged in your licensed profession in the private sector for profit. Spouses of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who hold a Florida health care practitioner license in good standing may also be exempted from license renewal provisions, but only in cases of absence from the state because of their spouses’ active duty assignment. LICENSURE RENEWAL PROVISIONS 13 Florida Veteran Health Heroes FY 2014-2015 FY 2016-2017 FY 2017-2018 FY 2015-2016