Answers to FAQs
1. Why does the registration renewal form always ask for my address? It hasn't changed for quite some time.
Short:
To make sure our records remain current, we ask that everyone verify the information we have on record.
Long:
The Licensing Department is responsible for the accuracy of our database, and the information that is released to the public. Some licensees move quite often. Other times, in the hubbub of an office move, a licensee believes he/she notified the Board, or told staff to do so, but we do not have the new information. We always ask whether the address has changed, just in case it has.
We've tried to improve our license renewal form. Now, you can just check 'yes' to indicate that your address has not changed. In the past, we asked you to write it in each year.
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2. I've just moved away from Oregon. I plan to pay $280.00 and renew my license. Which status can I choose?
Short:
a. Inactive, if you plan to live outside of Oregon and not work in Oregon.
b. Locum tenens, if you plan to live outside of Oregon yet work in Oregon periodically.
Long:
If you do not plan to work in Oregon at this time, you should choose Inactive status. This status reflects the fact that you are not practicing acupuncture in Oregon at this time.
If you plan to work in Oregon intermittently from your out-of-state location, you can choose Locum Tenens. Please read the Locum Tenens status definition on your instruction sheet.
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3. Can my fees be pro-rated?
Short:
No. You must pay $280 and register through June 30, 2010.
Long:
There are no provisions in Oregon law for pro-rating fees. The law states that if you practice acupuncture in Oregon for part of a biennial registration period, you must pay the registration fee for the entire biennial registration period.
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4. I've just moved away from Oregon. I don't plan to return or to renew my license. If I chose not to renew my Oregon license right now, what are my options?
Short:
Allow your license to lapse.
Long:
You can choose to allow your license to lapse. To let your license lapse, please complete the license renewal form and check the ‘I wish to let my license lapse’ box. A license will lapse automatically if you fail to complete the license renewal form and pay the renewal fee. Your license will lapse even if you notify the Board that you do not intend to renew your license. The Board will send you a letter in early July to let you know your license has lapsed, even if you informed the Board before June 30, 2008 that you wished to allow your license to lapse.
Lapsed status is not a derogatory status. The Board will still be able to verify your license to other states. Your registration status will not make a difference in your disciplinary standing. In other words, if your license was in "Unrestricted" standing while you maintained the registration of your license, it remains in "unrestricted' standing after it is lapsed.
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5. What's the difference between lapsed, surrendered and retired?
Short:
The following are definitions for lapsed, surrendered and retired:
a. Lapsed: The license is lapsed due to non-renewal of the biennial registration. The licensee may not practice medicine in Oregon.
b. Surrendered: The licensee has returned his/her license to the Board because he/she will not be practicing in Oregon in the future, and does not wish to maintain his/her license.
c. Retired: The licensee is fully retired and not practicing any form of acupuncture in any state/country, whether paid, or volunteer. Only for licensees who are fully retired and not practicing acupuncture in any state/country.
Long:
In the immediate future, there's not much difference. For each of these statuses, you do not pay the license renewal fee, nor are you able to practice acupuncture in Oregon. Lapsed and retired acupuncturist will not avoid any disciplinary action stemming from their prior practice of acupuncture in Oregon by choosing lapsed or retired status.
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6. What must I do if I decide to practice in Oregon after my license has been lapsed, surrendered, or retired?
If you want to practice in Oregon again in the future, there are different requirements for each status. When you want to return to the practice of acupuncture in Oregon, the method of re-entry is determined by the status you have.
If you have Lapsed status, you must:
1. Reactivate your license (takes 4-6 weeks minimum, $50 fee to process the Affidavit of Reactivation form).
2. Pay a late fee of $75.
3. Pay the license renewal fees for up to two biennia.
4. Pay the license renewal fee for the current biennial period.
If you have Retired status, you must:
1. Reactivate your license (takes 4-6 weeks minimum, $50 fee to process the Affidavit of Reactivation form).
2. If you have been out of practice for a period of 24 months or longer, the AC committee will review your file depending on the number of years, you have been retired. You are required to obtain 15 hours of CEU’s for every year you have not actively practiced.
If you have Surrendered status, you must:
1. Reapply for an Oregon acupuncture license as if you have never held one (takes 6-8 weeks, $245 application fee).
2. Meet all requirements for licensure that are in place at the time you apply, not the ones which were in place when you applied in the past.
3. Pay the registration fee for the current biennial period.
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7. What if I need to practice acupuncture again? Wouldn't it be better to have Inactive status than to have Retired status if I need to return to practice?
Short:
To change to Active status from either Inactive or Retired status, you are required to complete the reactivation process, and:
a. Pay the current applicable fees.
b. Complete the Affidavit for Reactivation.
c. You may be reviewed by the Acupunture Advisory Committee and you are required to obtain 15 hours of CEU’s for every year you are out of practice.
Long:
No, not necessarily.
To return from both Inactive and Retired status, you must:
1. Reactivate your license (takes 4-6 weeks minimum, $50 fee to process the Affidavit of Reactivation form).
2. If you have been out of practice for a period of 24 months or longer, the Acupunture Advisory Committee will review your file depending on the number of years you have been retired. You are required to obtain 15 hours of CEU’s for every year you have not actively practiced.
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8. Why are the fees so high? Why don't you have an Inactive-No Fee status?
Short:
Our agency is a "fee for service" agency. There are many hours involved in processing applications and maintaining over 15,000 current files.
It costs the Board as much to maintain a licensee file with Inactive status as it does to maintain a licensee file with Active status.
Long:
Our fees are set by the Oregon State legislature. The Board is a fee-based agency. The fees from applicants applying for licensure, fees from license renewal, and fees for other services are the basis for the Board's operating budget. We are not given money from any state tax source, or from the General Fund.
In 1999 the Inactive registration fees were raised to match the Active registration fees because it was recognized that it costs the Board the same amount to process and maintain a license with Inactive status as for Active status. We do not have a no-fee renewal status, because processing each renewal costs the agency money.
If you wish to avoid paying Oregon renewal fees, you will need to choose a non-renewal status: Retired, Surrendered or Lapsed.
We must place each license in the clearly defined legal status categories specified in the Oregon Administrative Rules** . These statuses are listed in box #4 on page 1 of your license renewal form. You can examine the full wording of the OAR** by following links on this website.
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9. I checked off 'Active' on my renewal form, and your office still renewed me at my old status and sent me a memo on the reactivation process. What's going on?
Short:
If you do not currently have Active status you need to reactivate your license. You may call our Call Center to obtain an Affidavit for Reactivation packet.
Long:
You probably had a status other than Active when your license renewal form was sent out. If you previously had Inactive or Locum Tenens status and now want Active status, you must reactivate your license.
You reactivate your license by completing and filing an affidavit with the Board. There is a $50 fee for processing the affidavit. The license renewal team does not handle the processing of affidavits. If you have questions about your affidavit, please call (971) 673-2700 and ask for the Call Center staff.
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10. How quickly can I expect my renewed certificate of registration?
Short:
Due to the high volume of license renewal forms received, it may take up to 2 to 4 weeks.
Long:
Unless some problem arises with your application, most renewals are processed in less than three weeks.
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11. Problem? What kind of problem might there be with my license renewal? What happens if there is a problem?
Short:
There are numerous possible problems, such as:
a. The payment was not received with the application.
b. The check cannot be processed because it wasn't signed, or was made out to the wrong agency, or was post-dated, etc.
c. The application wasn't signed.
d. The form wasn't completed correctly or submitted on time.
If there is a problem we will notify you in writing and give you adequate time to correct the situation(s).
Long:
Some licensees do not fill out the form completely, or the information on the form does not match the status they have requested. Missing information (missing answers, missing signatures, or missing explanations) is the most common problem we see.
Another common problem is sending the renewal form and payment in separately. We understand that this may be more convenient for you, but due to the volume of license renewals we are processing, it may result in your form and/or your check being returned to you or otherwise delayed.
If there is a problem with your license renewal form, we will send you a letter identifying the problem and telling you how to resolve it. You must resolve the problem by the deadline.
If you do not resolve the problem by the deadline your license may lapse and the $75 late fee may be imposed.
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12. Where will you send my certificate of registration?
Short:
It will be sent to whatever you designate as your mailing address.
Long:
We will send it to the address you designate as your mailing address. This is the address pre-printed in box #1 on the front of the license renewal application. If you correct this address by writing in your new mailing address, we will send mail to the address you have written in.
We will not send it to your practice address or your residence address, unless it is the same as in box #1 (mailing address).
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13. What if my certificate of registration doesn't arrive?
Short:
Call us if it hasn't arrived within 30 days from the date you mailed in the license renewal form.
Long:
We make every reasonable effort to ensure that your certificate is mailed out with your name on it, your address, and first class postage. We keep a record of the date it was mailed, and to which address. The vast majority of certificates arrive without complications.
If the US Postal Service returns your renewed certificate to us, we will make additional efforts to mail the certificate to you. In such cases we often call the licensee's office and/or home to determine a better address to send the certificate to.
If you did not receive the certificate and we did not receive it back in the mail, you may request a duplicate certificate. The Board does not keep copies of your certificate of registration. The Board is not responsible for mishaps that occur while mail is in the care of the US Postal Service.
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14. Why can't I have Active status now that I've moved out of Oregon?
Short:
According to Oregon Statutes, Active status is reserved for acupuncturists who are actively practicing acupuncture in Oregon, as evidenced by a business address.
Long:
The Oregon Medical Board restricts Active status to acupuncturist who are actively practicing in Oregon.
The Board is in charge of protecting the public by regulating the practice of acupuncture. The Board feels strongly that the reactivation process for licensees who wish to practice in Oregon helps it determine that the licensee has maintained competency. If licensees were allowed to have Active status regardless of location of practice, they would avoid the scrutiny of the reactivation process.
Acupuncturists who reside outside of Oregon and who practice intermittently in Oregon should request Locum Tenens status.
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15. It's after June 1st. Did I miss the deadline for my license renewal?
Short:
No. Send it in before 6/30/08
Long:
No, although you are running out of time. Your license is considered "delinquent". June is the 'grace period' for licensure renewal. Pay the license renewal fees indicated in box #4 on the front page of the form. You do not (during June 1-30) owe the late fee of $75.
Please return your license renewal form as soon as possible. Remember that it takes about three weeks for us to process your forms. If there is any unexpected problem or delay, you will not have your renewed certificate of registration in hand for your practice on July 1, 2008. If we send you a problem letter and you do not resolve it by the deadline for license renewal, the $75 late fee will be imposed, even for something that you may consider a very minor problem.
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16. What's the latest date I can mail in my license renewal form and not owe the late fee?
Short:
A $75 late fee is assessed if your license renewal form is not in the Board office by the end of the business day on June 30, 2008.
Long:
Your renewal form must be received by the Board by June 30, 2008 or earlier in order to avoid the $75 late fee. If your renewal form is received in our office after June 30, 2008 you will be required to pay the $75 late fee.
Please re-read the above warnings about sending license renewals in after June 1. Late-June renewals are unwise.
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17. It's July 1 (or later). Did I miss the deadline for my license renewal?
Short:
You may still renew your license but you will owe the $75 late fee, and if you renew after October 1, you will have go through the reactivation process. It will cost you an additional $50 for the Board to process your Affidavit for Reactivation.
Long:
Yes, you did. Pay the fees listed in box #4 on the front of the license renewal form and add $75 for the late fee.
We will wait to begin processing your license renewal until we receive all three items:
1. The completed license renewal form
2. The license renewal fee, and
3. The late fee.
Licensees often tell us of some extenuating circumstance and ask us to waive the late fee. If you feel you deserve a waiver please send in the form, both fees, and your letter requesting such a waiver in writing. We will consider your request and issue a refund if warranted.
It may be wise for you to send the form in via certified mail, so you have a record of when you sent it, and the date the Board received it. It will still take us about three weeks to get your renewed certificate to you.
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18. Is late license renewal really such a big deal?
Short:
If you do not renew your license before 6/30/2008, it will lapse. As long as your license is lapsed, you may not practice acupuncture in Oregon. You will also be assessed a $75 late fee when you do renew. Plus you may have to reactivate your license which will include an additional fee.
Long:
It can be.
If you are practicing acupuncture between the time your license lapses (midnight, June 30, 2008) and the time you renew, you are technically committing a felony by practicing acupuncture without a license. The Board may have grounds for taking disciplinary action against your license. Disciplinary actions by the Board are public information.
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19. I didn't get a license renewal form. How can I get one?
Short:
You may obtain a license renewal form from our web site approximately one month after the initial license renewal forms are mailed.
Long:
License Renewal Forms were mailed out on April 11, 2008. If you did not receive your renewal form after giving the postal service ample time to deliver your license renewal form you will be able to obtain a new form from our web site. The license renewal form will be posted approximately one month after the initial license renewal forms are mailed. The license renewal form on our web site will not have your information preprinted on the form. Be sure to complete this form completely to insure timely processing of your license renewal. We do not send renewal forms via facsimile (FAX) machine.
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20. I received my form but it was destroyed or damaged. How can I get another one?
Short:
You may obtain a license renewal form from our web site approximately one month after the initial license renewal forms are mailed.
Long:
You may obtain a license renewal form from our web site approximately one month after the initial license renewal forms are mailed. The license renewal form on our web site will not have your information preprinted on the form. Be sure to complete this form completely to insure timely processing of your license renewal. We do not send renewal forms via facsimile (FAX) machine
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21. I didn't get a renewal form. Where did you send mine?
Short:
We sent it to the last known mailing address we had listed for you.
Long:
The license renewal form was sent to the most recent mailing address on file with the Board. We mailed out renewal forms out on April 11, 2008.
You can call our office to find out the address the license renewal form was mailed to. Call (971) 673-2700 and ask the receptionist what is listed for your mailing address. If the listed address is incorrect and you did not notify the Board of an address change or place a change of address with the post office your form may have been sent back to us. We can resend your license renewal form if the Board received your license renewal form via returned mail from the post office; otherwise, you may go to our web site to obtain a blank license renewal form.
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22. Why can't I renew via email or the web?
Short:
We pre-print each licensee's unique information on the renewal form for you to verify. We also must have an original signature on the form, so electronic renewal would not work.
Long:
We're working on it. It may be two or more years off, but we do have it in mind.
State government is seeking to ensure privacy of information and security of state systems, as we proceed toward e-government. There are interesting and intricate problems to be solved, such as signature requirements, verifying the identity of the other party involved, payment, etc. This year, we require that you complete our (paper) form, sign the form by hand, and send in payment or credit card information.
Please let us know, in writing, what other media you are interested in seeing the Board use to facilitate the renewal process and other Board business.
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23. I don't want information about me and my addresses made public or sold for any commercial purposes. How can I be removed from your mailing list?
Short:
We cannot suppress your mailing address. By law, it is available to the public.
Long:
We are not able to remove you or your addresses from the public record. As the holder of a license granted by the State of Oregon, certain information about you and the license issued to you by the state is on the public record. At the Oregon Medical Board, this includes your mailing address.
This is a matter of Oregon law. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 192.420 reads, "Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as expressly provided by ORS 192.501 to 192.505." If you have access to the Internet, you can research these laws further at the Oregon State web site**.
Our agency is required by law to provide lists (public address information) to anyone who asks for them at the actual cost to our agency of producing the lists. We do not sell the lists for profit to support the agency.
We are not permitted to choose our customers based on their purpose or intent for the information.
You are not the only licensee to have this concern. Many licensees choose to contract with a private mailbox service or obtain a US Postal Service box, to prevent their physical address being released to the public. If you have issues regarding domestic violence or other threats due to disclosure of your information, you may request special consideration. Write to our office and give details of your situation.
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24. I had Locum Tenens status. Do I need to do anything special to renew at the same status?
Short:
Only if you did not perform any documented locum tenens work in Oregon between 07/01/06 and 6/30/08.
Long:
In the summer of 2000, the Board adopted new rules relating to Locum Tenens (LT) status. Some licensees may be affected by one new provision. It says that if a acupuncturist did not perform any locum tenens work in Oregon during the biennial period he/she shall be renewed at Inactive status, not at Locum Tenens status. Board staff will be reviewing all Locum Tenens status renewals to make sure all physicians who renew at LT status meet these requirements. Only those LT assignments which were appropriately submitted to the Board in writing will qualify.
Acupuncturists who are renewed at Inactive status who want to have Locum Tenens status again must reactivate their licenses. You can obtain a reactivation packet from our web site.
If you have questions about your license renewal and your status, please contact the Board at (971) 673-2700 and ask for the Call Center staff.
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25. What if I have been called up to active military duty overseas? Can I renew my license?
Short:
Yes. You may have a person you have designated to have power of attorney (POA) sign the form and return it to the Board with the appropriate payment.
Long.
Your license renewal form will be mailed to the most recent mailing address on file with the Board. Whoever you have designated as your power of attorney (POA) may sign the form and return it with payment for the appropriate license renewal fee, a copy of the POA form, and a copy of the Order to Active Duty, or written explanation that you are unavailable to complete the license renewal form because you have been called up to active duty out of the country.
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