CG-719K physical - $160.00

The CG-719K physical is the U.S. Coast Guard's Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate application, a routine but thorough health assessment by a licensed provider, covering general health, vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal ability (pushing, pulling, crawling), ensuring mariners meet standards for safety at sea. 

The examination and form must be completed within 12 months of application date. 

What it is:

• Application Form: Form CG-719K is the official U.S. Coast Guard application for a Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate.
• Purpose: To certify a mariner's physical fitness for duty on vessels, checking overall health and ability to perform shipboard tasks. 

Do I need to fill out any paperwork prior to my appointment?

Yes. You must have all paperwork completed, including printing your name at the top of each page as required. The Coast Guard paperwork can be found here. 

How long does the CG-719K physical exam take?

The CG-719K physicals exam typically takes 45 minutes to complete.

The cost of a CG-719K physical is $160 or $260 (with drug testing). 

Medical insurance companies do not cover Merchant Mariner Medical Exams. Therefore, cash or credit cards are the only form of payments accepted. 

Key Components include:

• Personal History: 
  • Details on medical conditions- 1) the identified condition, 2) list any limitations caused by the condition, 3) is the condition controlled, 4) approximate date of diagnosis, 5) prognosis, and 6) any additional information/test result about the condition. Recent reports/testing should be no more than 12 months old.
  • Medications-provide the names of the medications, dosage, and the reason the medication has been prescribed for medications used within 30 days prior to the date of the 719K, or medications used for a period of 30 or more days within the last 90 days prior to the date of the 719K 
• Vitals: Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, pulse.
• Vision: Acuity (Snellen chart), field of vision, color vision screening.
• Hearing: Forced Whisper test ≥ 5 feet with or without hearing aids.
• Physical Abilities: Functional tests like pushing, pulling, squatting, kneeling, crawling, and balance (e.g., walking a line).
• Medical Tests: urine test (sugar/protein), and potentially a DOT-standard drug test if clearance isn't current.
• Provider Certification: A licensed medical professional (MD, PA, NP) completes the form, signs off, and includes their details. 

After your exam:

• Scan all 10 pages into a single pdf
• Email the completed CG-719K form directly to medaip@uscg.mil 
• Make sure to include your full name in the subject line of your email to medical. We always strongly suggest this format: Last, First, MMC Reference number. 

Requirements and Logistics

• Provider: Must be a U.S. licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.
• Timing: The exam and form must be completed within 12 months (or 185 days for drug tests) of your application date.
• Form Completion: Accuracy is crucial; incorrect info causes delays.
• Food Handler: If you handle food, a food handler certification can be added if the provider certifies you are free of communicable diseases. 

Visual acuity: testing corrected and uncorrected vision. 

• Current deck standards required to pass the vision screening must have correctable vision to at least 20/40 in one eye and uncorrected vision of at least 20/200 in the same eye. 
• Current engineering, radio operator, tankerman and MODU standards require an applicant to have correctable vision of at least 20/50 in one eye and uncorrected vision of at least 20/200 in the same eye. 
• See NVIC 04-08 encl (5) for further guidance.

Field of vision: The horizontal field of vision should not be less than 100 degrees in each eye

Color vision:  Applicants must also demonstrate satisfactory color sense when tested by one of the screening methods listed below. This requirement must be met without the use of lenses that enhance color perception.

Color vision testing methods:

• (a) Pseudoisochromatic Plates (Dvorine, 2nd Edition; AOC; revised edition or AOC-HRR; Ishihara 14-, 24- , or 38-plate editions). 
• (b) Farnsworth Lantern. 
• (c) Titmus Vision Tester/OPTEC 2000. 
• (d) Optec 900. 
• (e) Richmond Test, 2nd and 4th edition.

Screening: Ability to hear a whispered voice at 5 feet, with or without hearing aids.

Audiogram: If screening fails, an audiometer test must show an average threshold of 30 dB or less in the better ear, measured at 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz.

Alcohol: any form or derivative of ethyl alcohol 

Controlled substance: all substances listed on Schedules I through V

Drugs: any substance (other than alcohol) that has known mind- or function-altering effects on a person, specifically including any psychoactive substance, and including, but not limited to, controlled substances 

Intoxicant: any form of alcohol, drug, or combination thereof 

Illegal substances

The completed forms for the physical are generally completed at the completion of the exam if there are no complications. 

The results of the drug test are generally available in 2 business days after 3 pm where there are no unforeseen delays. 

 YES - Here are the the top 10 medical conditions:

1. Cardiovascular Conditions 

2. Diabetes 

3. Psychiatric Disorders 

4. Sleep Disorders 

5. Chronic Use of Impairing Medications 

6. Impaired Hearing 

7. Alcohol/Drug Abuse 

8. Seizures 

9. Vision Requirements 

10. Pulmonary Conditions

**If you have one or more of the following medical conditions (listed above), you will be required to provide supporting medical documentation from your treating provider. **

For more information on these specific medical conditions please review Chapter 9-25 of the MERCHANT MARINER MEDICAL MANUAL, COMDTINST M16721.48