Important Notice From MBC: Annual $6 Fee to Support CURES
Important Notice: Additional Fees Effective April 1, 2014, to Implement Senate Bill 809 (DeSaulnier, Chapter 400, Statutes of 2013)
Senate Bill 809, regarding the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES), Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), was signed by the governor and becomes effective January 1, 2014. The CURES / PDMP is a valuable tool for healthcare professionals as it allows pre-registered users, including licensed healthcare prescribers eligible to prescribe controlled substances, pharmacists authorized to dispense controlled substances, law enforcement, and regulatory boards, to access timely patient controlled substance history information. The CURES / PDMP program assists healthcare professionals in identifying possible prescription drug abuse.
Senate Bill 809 requires healthcare professionals who are authorized to prescribe or fill prescriptions for controlled substances to pay $6.00 annually to support the CURES / PDMP. This fee will be collected at the time of a licensee’s renewal. Effective April 1, 2014, all physicians and surgeons will see an additional $12.00 added to their renewal fee ($6.00 per year). This $12.00 will be transferred to the State of California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General to fund the CURES / PDMP. Renewal notices sent out with an expiration date of April 30, 2014, and later will include this additional fee. All licensees whose expiration date is April 30, 2014, and later will have to pay this fee no matter when the renewal fee is submitted. Failure to pay these additional fees will result in the renewal not being issued.
The following is a breakdown of the fees, effective April 1, 2014, collected by the Medical Board of California at the time of a physician’s and surgeon’s license renewal:
1. Physician’s and Surgeon’s License Renewal Fee: $783.00
2. Steven M. Thompson Loan Repayment Fee: $25.00
3. CURES / PDMP Fee: $12.00
Total Fees: $820.00
In addition to the Medical Board, the Dental Board, Board of Pharmacy, Veterinary Medical Board, Board of Registered Nursing, Physician Assistant Board, Osteopathic Medical Board, Board of Optometry, and the Board of Podiatric Medicine, will all be adding the required CURES / PDMP fees to their licensee’s renewals effective April 1, 2014.
Click here to view the chaptered language of Senate Bill 809.