DEA question for Attendings

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msgsk

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Hey guys - I'm licensed in three different states and actually work actively in all three, but 90% of my shifts are in one state. Do I need to keep a DEA in all three states?

I contacted someone at the DEA office and was told 'yes', but I spoke to another ER doc this weekend and he told me he only has one from a state he lived in five years ago, and even though he's now in a different state he just renews that one.

The funny thing is, any time a pharmacy calls me about a prescription needing my DEA number, I give them the appropriate state's one, and the only one that ever works is my original one (even though it's from a different state).

I hope that makes sense; just wondering if I need to keep paying > $400/year for all these DEAs if the pharmacies are only recognizing one of them.

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You have to check with each state. Any state I've worked in needed a separate state drug license. Whether there's some that don't, I'm not sure. Call the state licensing boards. You'll get your answer.
 
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Thanks! I spoke to the DEA peeps and it seems like choosing not to renew it, then trying to get it again in the future if needed is super-easy (unlike trying to get a state medical license after letting it expire)....but yeah I guess we need one for each state we plan to work in :(
 
I'm licensed in 3 states and you can make a change request for your DEA to a different state that is almost immediate. The caveat is that you can not use it for both, so the same DEA now only can be used in the new state. You can do this multiple times and you can change it back also. It's nice to have one for all three states but a waste of money. I have 2 active DEAs and one of those I changed from one state to a diff one and then got a new one for my current state. I have the second one as it covers me for occasional moonlighting in an adjacent state. I no longer have an active one in the third state as I don't intend to practice there again any time soon. Getting a new DEA is fairly quick and painless but so is "re-locating" a pre-existing DEA as long as you don't intend to practice in the previous state any longer.

In your case, since you practice in all three, you'll need 3 active DEAs.
 
I'm licensed in 3 states and you can make a change request for your DEA to a different state that is almost immediate. The caveat is that you can not use it for both, so the same DEA now only can be used in the new state. You can do this multiple times and you can change it back also. It's nice to have one for all three states but a waste of money. I have 2 active DEAs and one of those I changed from one state to a diff one and then got a new one for my current state. I have the second one as it covers me for occasional moonlighting in an adjacent state. I no longer have an active one in the third state as I don't intend to practice there again any time soon. Getting a new DEA is fairly quick and painless but so is "re-locating" a pre-existing DEA as long as you don't intend to practice in the previous state any longer.

In your case, since you practice in all three, you'll need 3 active DEAs.

I'm really surprised the DEA allows this.
 
I'm really surprised the DEA allows this.

I wasn't aware about it until I called them to see if I could use my existing DEA in a different state, or if I needed to get a new one. It was fairly painless and I was pointed to an online update form from what I remember. From then on, I was able to use the same DEA number for the 2nd state. Here's the page that explains the policy.

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/locum_tenens.htm

3. Alternately, under 21 C.F.R. § 1301.51, practitioners may transfer their existing DEA registration from one state to another as needed by contacting DEA’s Registration and Program Support Section at 1-800-882-9539 or request the change online at www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov. DEA will investigate each modification of registration as if it was a new application. DEA will issue a new DEA certificate with the appropriate changes if DEA approves the modification.
 
I wasn't aware about it until I called them to see if I could use my existing DEA in a different state, or if I needed to get a new one. It was fairly painless and I was pointed to an online update form from what I remember. From then on, I was able to use the same DEA number for the 2nd state. Here's the page that explains the policy.

Questions & Answers - What is DEA’s policy concerning Locum Tenens?

3. Alternately, under 21 C.F.R. § 1301.51, practitioners may transfer their existing DEA registration from one state to another as needed by contacting DEA’s Registration and Program Support Section at 1-800-882-9539 or request the change online at www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov. DEA will investigate each modification of registration as if it was a new application. DEA will issue a new DEA certificate with the appropriate changes if DEA approves the modification.

How quick are DEA numbers issued? I'm applying for my DEA number June 1st(when my official state license will be issued) and my first shift to moonlight will be June 25. Is that too risky to bank on it coming back so quickly? I'm just trying to save 400$ because if I get medical license anytime before June 1 I will have to pay a 400$ tax.




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