FAA vs. AF Medical Issues
 

How well do these organizations talk to each other? The AF recently diagnosed me with a medical condition and I was wondering if the FAA could find out about it before I report it at my next class I. In other words, do I need to call my AME immediately or can it wait until my next exam. I'm on furlough and do not exercise the priveledges of the Class I, just have it for applications.

FAA vs. AF Medical Issues
 

Fairly certain HIPAA forbids the passing of info without your knowledge and consent.

I agree, but I know for a fact that the VA and the FAA share info concerning disabilities. I was just wondering if other government agencies do the same.

As far as I know, the FAA has no access to military medical records and I'm sure I would have heard. Also they are not going to read every pilot/service member's record and cross-check with your FAA medical history...far too much effort. The disability thing was low-hanging fruit...if somebody had a disability claim and an FAA medical at the same time there was a good chance of funny business, and the disability record told them exactly what they were looking for in one glance.

If you're not flying at all it's irrelevant, you are effectively "self grounded", which gets you off the hook until your next medical, or resumption of flying.

The only situation which requires specific timely notification of the FAA in all circumstances is DUI-type issues.

Thanks rickair, just what I was looking for. Out of curiosity, is there ever a time when the AF is obliged to notify the FAA of a pilots health status or vise versa?

I've never heard of anything like that at all. The DoD generally thinks the FAA is beneath them.

agree ... just remember to report condition at your next medical

Absolutely, already have my paperwork ready.:)

Kind of a late response, but in case anyone else is in this situation ...

As long as you can legally fly with this condition it doesn't matter if FAA finds out or not before your next exam. There's no requirement to report otherwise; just self-ground, or impose appropriate limitations, if necessary.

And, if you're grounded, you don't have to apply until the condition has subsided. No sense paying money to be denied. The advice of a good AME here is essential.

Waldo, I think most of HIPAA is waived when you sign the FAA medical application, at least wrt the federal government sharing/disseminating between agencies. That stated, I don't know about DOD medicals and what permission they have, or who they can/will/do share with. I'd be flabbergasted, though, if data made it to FAA within, say, six months. Does DOD normally even know, officially, if any given pilot holds FAA certification, or a medical?

One thing I can add here...if an AF pilot becomes medically disqualified and is not waived or otherwise placed back on flying status within a year, the USAF sends a letter to the FAA notifying the FAA that the pilot is medically disqualified. No specific information is given to the FAA, they just know about the disqualification. In the one case I know of, the pilot had an FAA certificate, not sure if notification happens in the absence of an FAA certificate, but I would guess it does.

If you have a disqualifying medical condition or history of one, don't fly as a civilian until you get it cleared up with the FAA. If you're not flying civilian, FAA isn't concerned about it.

Last point: in general, the USAF is more conservative in granting waivers than the FAA is in granting special issuances. If the AF is cool with what ails you, the FAA will probably be cool as well.