New: Medical Conditions the AME Can Now Issue / The CACI Program

The FAA Aeromedical Certification Division (AMCD) has recently released major policy changes that significantly impact the aeromedical certification process. Flight surgeons at the FAA have made provisions for a group of low-risk medical conditions that the AME can now issue and eliminate the previously required special issuance requirement. These eleven conditions, known by the acronym CACI (Conditions the AME Can Issue) include Arthritis, Asthma, Hepatitis C, Hypertension, Hypothyroidism, Pre-Diabetes, Migraine Headaches, Chronic Headaches, Renal Cancer, Testicular Cancer and Prostate Cancer.

In order to be issued a medical certificate in the office at the time of the exam the airman must meet the class-specific medical standards and present the results of medical testing and physician letters that are specific to each of these eleven conditions. Therefore, if you have one of the eleven specific medical conditions please call the office and I will advise you on what documentation is required. Without the proper medical reports a medical certificate cannot be issued. Please be aware that not all airmen will meet the medical requirements of the CACI program. For example, an airman with prostate cancer without evidence of metastasis that has been surgically treated can be issued a medical certificate in the office after a review of the medical records by the AME. However, and airman with metastatic prostate cancer will still require deferring the medical to the FAA flight surgeons for review and determination of flying status. Therefore, call the office before your appointment so that you can be advised which medical reports you will need.

Additionally, airman already on a special issuance for these eleven medical conditions can be released from their special issuance provided the correct documentation is supplied to the AME. Furthermore, if you have a chronic condition such as glaucoma you will be required to provide fresh clinical information at the time of every exam so that the AME can determine your that condition is stable to meet the CACI requirements for issuance of the medical on future medicals.

This program will greatly enhance the ability of the airman to obtain medical certification and avoid the six to eight weeks required for the special issuance. However, the FAA is effectively decreasing their workload and increasing the workload of the AMEs that choose to participate in this program, as more time is needed for medical record review, advisement of FAA medical policy requirements, and medical record monitoring. Therefore, airman that wish to participate in this program will be charged an additional fee based on the increased time required to process the CACI medical certificates. Charges will vary based on the complexity of the medical issue.

In the near future even more low-risk medical conditions will be added to the CACI program.

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Please do not forget to call my office at 419-908-5389 if you have been diagnosed with one of the eleven CACI conditions so that Susie or I can advise you on the required medical documentation to bring to the office.  – Dr. Steinhauser