N.B. physicians, have also been without a contract since March 31. Dr. Sammis said physicians practising in Maine have the independence to set their own fees. She said the licence entitles her to write prescriptions to be filled in New Brunswick but does not allow her to bill medicare for any Canadian patients she sees. The other kind of licence is the border area licence. The number of Maine doctors holding border area licencees has jumped from 12 to about 30 in the last few months, with more applications coming in.
Canadian pharmacies can only recognize prescriptions from physicians licensed in Canada.
To qualify for a border area licence, American doctors must be licensed in Maine and be residents of the state. All physicians licensed with the college are required to obtain membership with the New Brunswick Medical Society. Dr. Laurie Churchill of Calais, Me., has several patients who live at least part of the year in New Brunswick. Some of them have American insurance. Based on what she knows of medical practice on both sides of the border, Dr. Churchill said she would never consider moving her office from Maine to New Brunswick.