Medical Information for Mariners

Contact Information

MSFSC Medical Office Norfolk: Ph. 757-443-5760 Fax: 757-443-5767
MSFSC Medical Office San Diego: Ph: 619-524-9990 Fax: 619-524-9950

Personal Medical Conditions

1. CIVMARS are responsible for arranging treatment for routine and chronic conditions with their Primary Care doctor. The Medical Services Officer aboard ship is available for urgent medical needs and arranging Occupational Health services but does not serve as your Primary Medical Doctor. They do not treat or provide medications for any chronic medical condition.
2. Although not required, it is strongly encouraged that all CIVMARS have health care insurance. You are encouraged to verify if your coverage includes overseas medical coverage and if it covers emergency expenses. Although MSC will ensure that medical expenses for work related injuries are paid overseas, if you need to be seen overseas for a non-work related medical problem, you could incur great expense or even risk not being seen if you do not have overseas insurance coverage. You have sixty days from your start of employment to enroll in the Federal Employee Health Benefits program and coverage will start on the first pay period after the enrollment form is submitted. See the FEHB advisor for more information.
3. Any chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disorders, cholesterol disorders, and cancer, are the CIVMAR's responsibility and should be controlled well enough to not require follow-up evaluation more frequently than every 6 months. Conditions that require a follow-up evaluation more frequently may result in extended periods of being Not Fit For Duty (NFFD). To ensure that chronic conditions remain controlled, CIVMARS must submit a completed Medical Summary Form completed by your Primary Medical Doctor approximately every 6 months to 1 year, depending on the condition. Medical Summary forms may be obtained from your MSO or the MSFSC medical offices via fax, or downloaded from the following website: http://www.msc.navy.mil/civmar/medical.htm. The required information may also be on your own doctor's letter-head or narrative summary form as long as it contains the information requested on the MSFSC Medical Summary Form.
4. Anyone required to take a prescription medication should have at least a six-month supply of the medication prior to sailing. Mediations should be in carry on bags if flying overseas to a ship. DO NOT pack your medications in your checked luggage in case it gets lost. Relying on refills via the mail system is not recommended. We may provide a letter which you can give to your doctor, pharmacy, insurance company, or wherever it may help you obtain extra refills of medications needed for deployment. Our letter is not a prescription but rather a recommendation of consideration for you.
5. If eyeglasses are needed for vision correction, you should ideally have 2 pairs with you and a current written prescription. There are two options available to you in obtaining prescription safety glasses. One option is to purchase them yourself and seek reimbursement. In order to be reimbursed you must ensure your purchase is labeled "Z787" to meet the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z-87.1. All safety eyewear purchased must have flat-fold side shields. The authorized maximum cost for eye examination (refraction) is $50.00, and $100.00 for prescription safety eyewear (1 or 2 pairs), for a total maximum reimbursement of $150.00. A claim can be filed by using form MSC 5100/10 which can be found in COMSCINST 5100.17C. Send the forms to MSFSC Medical (Norfolk) for reimbursement processing.

   The second option to obtain safety glasses is available for those in either the Norfolk or San Diego pool or attending training in New Jersey. You can check into the medical office at these locations and get referred to a local optometrist who is under contract to supply safety glasses to MSC mariners. If you need prescription eyeglass inserts to put in a gas mask or SCBA, you can have your ships MSO order the inserts through the Naval Ophthalmic Support and Training Activity. The MSO is the point of contact for obtaining all special inserts for gas masks or SCBA units.

MSC Medical Examinations

1. If you are notified that you are due for a physical or occupational health exam, these examinations will be paid by MSC. Exams can be scheduled by the ship MSO or by calling the CIVMAR Support Center (CSC) at: In Virginia: 1-757-217-1930 or Outside Virginia: 1-877-562-7672. You must bring your supplemental health record with you to the examination.

Not Fit for Duty (NFFD) Procedures

1. If a medical condition occurs which requires you to be placed in a NFFD status, you must submit supporting documentation to MSFSC Medical. Documents can be faxed. The preferred document is a Medical Summary Form which is available online at http://www.msc.navy.mil/civmar/medical.htm. Follow-up Medical Summary Forms should be provided to MSFSC Medical on a regular basis (preferably at least monthly) to update the current status of your condition. Based on the documentation provided by your health care provider, MSFSC Medical will make the determination whether you are fit to return to duty. If the documentation indicates that an extension of the NFFD status is warranted, you still must contact your placement officer regarding your leave status. FOUR IMPORTANT POINTS:
   • Medical only determines duty status not leave status. You must request leave through your placement officer (sick leave, annual leave, LWOP, etc.)
   • DO NOT assume that because your personal doctor has written Fit for Duty that you can report to duty. MSFSC Medical determines fitness for duty. You do not want to have needlessly traveled to the pool at your own expense only to find out you were not cleared by MSC Medical because more information was required from your doctor to be found fit for duty in accordance with MSC Medical Standards.
   • Recurrent medical repatriations for the same problem can be grounds for being made permanently NFFD. Repatriation for failure to meet your responsibilities such have having enough medication to complete a deployment can result in disciplinary action.
   • If a chronic condition follow-up requirement lapses while you are NFFD for another reason condition such as an injury, although you may get medically cleared for the reason you were NFFD, you will not be allowed to return until you have provided an update on the lapsed chronic condition.
2. Once you have been made FFD by MSFSC Medical (from NFFD), you should contact your placement officer regarding orders or reporting to the pool.
3. CIVMARS in a leave status who have medical issues arise which can affect their duty status, such as scheduling of routine tests, elective surgery, and prolonged dental work, should keep their MSO (if assigned to a ship) and the MSFSC Medical office informed of their status.
4. If you have been medically repatriated off a ship due to a work related injury, you must keep MSFSC updated as well as the OWCP/Health Benefits staff. They can be reached at:
   (757) 417-4305, 4280, 4717, or 4283