STARTING PRACTICE IN MISSOURI

Important Documents

The following is a list of important NUMBERS you will need to begin your practice in Missouri.

Missouri State Medical License:

 You will need to apply at least three to six weeks before you actually plan to begin your practice, as it will take this long to receive your Missouri Medical License:

Missouri Board of Healing Arts
State Medical Board
3605 Missouri Boulevard
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
PHONE: (573) 751 - 0098

Medicare ID Numbers:

To request your Medicare ID number, it will depend upon where you plan to practice in Missouri.

NORTHWESTERN AREA
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas
Medicare Provider Records
P.O. Box 239
Topeka, Kansas 66629
Phone: (785) 291 - 4022 		ALL OTHER AREAS IN MO
General American Life Insurance
Medicare Part B
Provider Enrollment
P.O. Box 66935
St. Louis, Missouri 63128

Medicaid ID Number (Welfare):

 Call the number below and request that a packet be mailed to you to receive your Medicaid ID Number and one will be mailed to you:

Phone: (735) 751-6922

Missouri Bureau of Workers' Compensation
For WORK RELATED INJURIES CONTACT:

Missouri Bureau of Workers' Compensation
P.O. Box 58
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Phone: (573) 751-4231

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

 You almost certainly already have a DEA number, but may need to change your address when starting your practice. Contact:

Drug Enforcement Administration
7911 Forsyth Boulevard
Suite 500
St. Louis, Missouri 63105
Phone: (314) 425-3241

You will also need to be registered with the BUREAU OF NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS IF YOU ARE PRESCRIBING, DISPENSING OR STOCKING ANY DRUGS. Contact:

Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
920 Wildwood Drive
Jefferson City, Missouri 65109
Phone: (573) 751-6321

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

You obtain your EIN Number by using the phone on your fax machine and dialing (703) 487 - 4160; you will get a menu and can request an SS-4 form. After you are faxed this, you will need to fill it out and phone (816) 926 - 5999 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:15 PM Central Standard Time. A customer representative will ask you all the information on the SS-4 form. When this is completed she will let you know when you can expect to receive your EIN NUMBER. For Missouri, you usually will receive your EIN number in 24 hours.

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA):

 You must obtain a CLIA certificate whether you do laboratory testing or not. (Simply testing patients in the office for fecal occult blood requires a certificate of waiver.) Your certificate must be posted. Depending on the type of testing that will be done will determine whether the Department of Health and Human Services will need to conduct and inspection before you will receive your certificate. They will also bill you for these services before you can receive your certificate.

Department of Health and Human Services
1730 E. Elm
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Phone: (573) 751 - 6318

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA):

This refers to the "Occupational Safety and Health Act", implemented to safeguard your employees' safety and health. All medical offices, no matter how small, must be in compliance.

To be in full compliance with OSHA, you must have your own individualized Exposure Control Plan to blood borne pathogens, and your own safety rules. You must keep a record of your employees' training as well as logs of your cleaning and of your periodic check of your exit signs, eye wash stations, fire extinguishers, ect. You must also have available all the MSDS's (Material Safety Data Sheets) for all the chemicals you have in the office, from "White Out" to rubbing alcohol!

This seems like a tedious undertaking, and it is. There are some services out there that have ready-made manuals to help you out. The AMA has one, and some commercial firms have them also (e.g., Health Career Learning Systems, Inc. (800) 829-4257).

You can obtain considerable help with this through the risk management office of your malpractice insurance company. The Local Bureau of Workers' Compensation can also send someone for a walk-through OSHA inspection. In order for these inspections to be worthwhile, you must first have tried to achieve a minimum level of compliance.

Department of Natural Resources:

For information on EPA regulations in Missouri, for which you may need to address issues of hazardous waste disposal in your area:

Department of Natural Resources
Division of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Phone: (573) 751-5401

Additional information is as follows:

Finally, the following posters must be in a clear place in your office for all your employees to see:
  1. Federal Laws: Equal Employment Opportunity
    Polygraph Protection Act
    Minimum Wage
    Job Safety & Health Protection
    Family Medical Leave
    You can obtain these in one laminated poster from: Remarkable Products (phone: (201) 784-0900)
  2. OSHA Hazardous Materials Guide.
  3. Workers' Compensation Risk Number.
  4. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Certificate.
  5. Emergency exit plan for you office(s). One must be posted in a clearly visible location in each room.
  6. State of Missouri.
Top of Page