ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF:   BOARD DATE:  13 February 2020 DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20180001246 


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Back pay for Non-Physician Board Certification Pay 
(NPBCP) from the period of May 2016 to April 2017. 


APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

.DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record)

.Board Certification Card




FACTS: 

1.The applicant states she completed her boards for Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)on 26 May 2016.  It was brought to her attention that she should have been getting FNPspecialty pay from being board certified.  She is requesting back pay from thecertification date 26 May 2016 through April 2017.  She spoke to her local specialty payclerk.  He informed her he could not assist her in recouping back pay.

2.A review of the applicant’s records show:

a.24 September 2008 – she was ordered to active duty in the rank of Second


Lieutenant (2LT)/ O-1. 

b.13 September 2012 – she signed her training agreement for fully-funded long-


term health education and training  to attend the Doctor of Nursing Practice-Family Nurse Practitioner at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. 

c.It is void of Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay agreement for


payment. 

3.The applicant provides her Board Certification Card, showing the American Academyof Nurse Practitioners Certification Program acknowledges the applicant has met therequirements for national certification as a FNP from 26 May 2016 to 25 May 2021.
4.On 9 December 2019, the Office of the Surgeon General reviewed the applicant'srecords and rendered an advisory opinion in her case.  After a thorough review, theChief, Army Medical Department Special Pay Branch opined that the applicant met allthe eligibility criteria for Non-Physician Board Certification Pay (NPBCP) and HealthProfessions Officer Board Certification Pay.  The applicant would be authorized NPBCPfor the unpaid period 26 May 2016 to 30 September 2016 at $166.66/month or for the125-days totaling approximately $694.  A copy of the entire advisory is available for theBoard to review.

5.The applicant was provided with a copy of this advisory opinion to give her anopportunity to respond and/or submit a rebuttal.  She did not respond.

6.Title 37 United States Code (USC):

a.Section 335 (Special Bonus and Incentive Pay Authorities for Officers in HealthProfessions) states the Secretary concerned may pay a health professions bonus to an officer of the uniformed service who accepts a commission and agrees to remain on active duty in a health profession.  The Secretary concerned may also pay BCP. 

b.Section 302c (Special Pay: Psychologists and Non-Physician Health CareProviders), provides guidance related to eligibility for NPBCP, an incentive to retain high-quality health care providers in the Military Departments.  Subsection (d) provides that eligibility for NPBCP is limited to those officers: 

.in the Medical Service Corps of the Army designated as a non-physician healthcare provider

.who are health care providers in a clinical specialty that is privilegeable

.who have a post-baccalaureate degree in their clinical specialty

.who are certified by a professional board in their clinical specialty



BOARD DISCUSSION: 

After reviewing the application, the supporting documents, the records, and the facts above, the Board found that relief is warranted.  Consistent with the advisory from the Office of the Surgeon General, the applicant should be paid Non-Physician Board Certification Pay (NPBCP) and Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay.  The applicant should be paid NPBCP for the period 26 May 2016 to 30 September 2016 at $166.66/month (125-days) totaling approximately $694. 


BOARD VOTE: 

Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 

: : : GRANT FULL RELIEF 

: : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

: : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING 

: : : DENY APPLICATION 


BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 

The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected to show the applicant submitted a timely request that was accepted and processed by the appropriate official and by paying her Non-Physician Board Certification Pay (NPBCP) and HealthProfessions Officer Board Certification Pay for the period 26 May 2016 to 30 September 2016 and any additional periods ny previously paid to her.



X

I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. 

REFERENCES: 
 
Title 37 United States Code (USC): 
 
 a.  Section 335 (Special Bonus and Incentive Pay Authorities for Officers in Health Professions) states the Secretary concerned may pay a health professions bonus to an officer of the uniformed service who accepts a commission and agrees to remain on active duty in a health profession.  The Secretary concerned may also pay BCP. 
 
 b.  Section 302c (Special Pay: Psychologists and Non-Physician Health Care Providers), provides guidance related to eligibility for NPBCP, an incentive to retain high-quality health care providers in the Military Departments.  Subsection (d) provides that eligibility for NPBCP is limited to those officers: 
 
. in the Medical Service Corps of the Army designated as a non-physician health care provider 

. who are health care providers in a clinical specialty that is privilegeable 

. who have a post-baccalaureate degree in their clinical specialty 

. who are certified by a professional board in their clinical specialty 


 
 
 
//NOTHING FOLLOWS//