"Bob,  how come I'm not getting my Safety seminar announcements 
anymore?"  is how the conversation always begins.  I used to blame the 
post office.  Not any more.  Now, I get really concerned.

"Do you have a current FAA medical?", is my first question. 

 "Sure I do", is the consistent answer.  

"Well, I explain",  all those with a current medical living in my area 
should have received a  monthly announcement.  The mailings are 
done from Oklahoma City using their data base of airmen with current 
medicals.    I then access the FAA data base to see the status of the 
airman's medical.  Inevitably, I find that the data base does not reflect 
the last medical obtained by the airman.  Not good!

Just suppose that this airman was involved in a fatal aircraft mishap and 
their medical certificate was on their person when the aircraft was 
destroyed in flames.  The investigator would access the data base to 
determine if the pilot had a current medical.  It would appear from the 
records that the airman did not possess a current medical.  And, there 
would be no way to prove otherwise.  Remember, the only record of the 
medical was destroyed in the accident.  The insurance of the deceased 
might be in jeopardy if it was determined that the airman was operating 
contrary to the Federal Aviation Regulations.

Does this seen extreme??  Not at all.  There are certainly other 
scenarios that could bring this problem to the forefront   In the last year 
alone, I have talked with no less than ten airmen with this problem., and 
I'm just interacting with a small portion of the nation's airmen.  One of 
the individuals who asked me this question in the last year was an FAA  
Medical Examiner!  Yup, his record showed him with an out of date 
medical!

When I heard from a gentleman this week with the same problem, I 
decided to sit down and write.  I gave him the same advice I always do.  
Make an immediate copy of your current medical and put it in  a safe 
place where it will be found.  Then, mail me a copy of your current 
medical so that I can follow up with the Regional Medical Office.  Also, 
call your Medical Examiner and let them know that for unknown 
reasons, the FAA data base does not reflect a current medical.  Ask the 
medical examiner to follow up on the paperwork.  

The gentleman's answer was quick and insightful.  His Medical 
Examiner found his paperwork, along with several others , that had not 
been sent in since July!!!!!(It's  now January).

The worst part of this story is yet to come.  Most of the airmen I've 
talked to who had problems got their medicals from a particular FAA 
Medical Examiner.  He did not return phone calls when the pilots called 
to check on their medical.  He also did not process the  medicals that 
he performed on these individuals.  While this Medical Examiner was 
subsequently removed, look at the jeopardy it placed these pilots in.  

Is this a nationwide problem?  I hope not, but, if it is, this is not a good 
situation.  Is this a basis for general paranoia?  If you're receiving mail 
from the FAA on a regular basis, you're probably OK.  I'd view a change 
as a reason for concern, and  if you are not getting your safety seminar 
announcements, would take this very seriously.

"So", I said to the FAA Medical Examiner, "you thought you had a 
current medical, huh?"