HOUSE BILL No. 5758

 

February 28, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Newell, Vander Veen, Kahn, Green, Meyer, Nofs, Proos, Emmons, Pearce, Huizenga, Ball, Sheen, Van Regenmorter, Stakoe, Caswell, Kooiman, Jones and Walker and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

      A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled

 

"Public health code,"

 

by amending sections 16221, 16226, 16245, 17001, and 17501 (MCL

 

333.16221, 333.16226, 333.16245, 333.17001, and 333.17501),

 

sections 16221 and 16226 as amended by 2004 PA 214, section 16245

 

as amended by 1998 PA 109, section 17001 as amended by 1990 PA

 

248, and section 17501 as amended by 1990 PA 247, and by adding

 

section 16182a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

 1        Sec. 16182a. (1) An individual shall not provide expert

 

 2  witness testimony on the appropriate standard of practice or care

 

 3  in an action alleging medical malpractice unless he or she is

 


 1  licensed or otherwise authorized to practice that health

 

 2  profession in this state or he or she holds a limited license

 

 3  issued in accordance with this section for the purpose of

 

 4  providing expert witness testimony.

 

 5        (2) Upon application and payment of the requisite fee for a

 

 6  limited license, a board may grant a limited license to an

 

 7  individual who is licensed in another state or jurisdiction for

 

 8  the purpose of providing expert witness testimony in this state

 

 9  if the board determines that the limitation is consistent with

 

10  the ability of the individual to provide knowledgeable, skilled,

 

11  experienced, and proficient expert witness testimony on the

 

12  appropriate standard of practice or care in an action alleging

 

13  medical malpractice.  An individual seeking a limited license

 

14  under this section shall satisfy the requirements of section

 

15  16174 and provide the board with verification of the status and

 

16  good standing of his or her license from the state or

 

17  jurisdiction in which he or she is currently licensed or has been

 

18  licensed to engage in the practice of the health profession.

 

19        (3) The holder of a limited license issued under this

 

20  section is not authorized to engage in the practice of the health

 

21  profession in this state.  The holder of a limited license issued

 

22  under this section is only authorized to provide expert witness

 

23  testimony.

 

24        (4) A limited license issued under this section is valid for

 

25  not more than 1 year and is renewable.

 

26        Sec. 16221. The department may investigate activities

 

27  related to the practice of a health profession by a licensee, a

 


 1  registrant, or an applicant for licensure or registration. The

 

 2  department may hold hearings, administer oaths, and order

 

 3  relevant testimony to be taken and shall report its findings to

 

 4  the appropriate disciplinary subcommittee. The disciplinary

 

 5  subcommittee shall proceed under section 16226 if it finds that 1

 

 6  or more of the following grounds exist:

 

 7        (a) A violation of general duty, consisting of negligence or

 

 8  failure to exercise due care, including negligent delegation to

 

 9  or supervision of employees or other individuals, whether or not

 

10  injury results, or any conduct, practice, or condition that

 

11  impairs, or may impair, the ability to safely and skillfully

 

12  practice the health profession.

 

13        (b) Personal disqualifications, consisting of 1 or more of

 

14  the following:

 

15        (i) Incompetence.

 

16        (ii) Subject to sections 16165 to 16170a, substance abuse as

 

17  defined in section 6107.

 

18        (iii) Mental or physical inability reasonably related to and

 

19  adversely affecting the licensee's ability to practice in a safe

 

20  and competent manner.

 

21        (iv) Declaration of mental incompetence by a court of

 

22  competent jurisdiction.

 

23        (v) Conviction of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment

 

24  for a maximum term of 2 years; a misdemeanor involving the

 

25  illegal delivery, possession, or use of a controlled substance;

 

26  or a felony. A certified copy of the court record is conclusive

 

27  evidence of the conviction.

 


 1        (vi) Lack of good moral character.

 

 2        (vii) Conviction of a criminal offense under sections 520b to

 

 3  520g of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.520b to

 

 4  750.520g. A certified copy of the court record is conclusive

 

 5  evidence of the conviction.

 

 6        (viii) Conviction of a violation of section 492a of the

 

 7  Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.492a. A certified copy

 

 8  of the court record is conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

 9        (ix) Conviction of a misdemeanor or felony involving fraud in

 

10  obtaining or attempting to obtain fees related to the practice of

 

11  a health profession. A certified copy of the court record is

 

12  conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

13        (x) Final adverse administrative action by a licensure,

 

14  registration, disciplinary, or certification board involving the

 

15  holder of, or an applicant for, a license or registration

 

16  regulated by another state or a territory of the United States,

 

17  by the United States military, by the federal government, or by

 

18  another country. A certified copy of the record of the board is

 

19  conclusive evidence of the final action.

 

20        (xi) Conviction of a misdemeanor that is reasonably related

 

21  to or that adversely affects the licensee's ability to practice

 

22  in a safe and competent manner. A certified copy of the court

 

23  record is conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

24        (xii) Conviction of a violation of section 430 of the

 

25  Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.430. A certified copy

 

26  of the court record is conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

27        (c) Prohibited acts, consisting of 1 or more of the

 


 1  following:

 

 2        (i) Fraud or deceit in obtaining or renewing a license or

 

 3  registration.

 

 4        (ii) Permitting the license or registration to be used by an

 

 5  unauthorized person.

 

 6        (iii) Practice outside the scope of a license.

 

 7        (iv) Obtaining, possessing, or attempting to obtain or

 

 8  possess a controlled substance as defined in section 7104 or a

 

 9  drug as defined in section 7105 without lawful authority; or

 

10  selling, prescribing, giving away, or administering drugs for

 

11  other than lawful diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

 

12        (d) Unethical business practices, consisting of 1 or more of

 

13  the following:

 

14        (i) False or misleading advertising.

 

15        (ii) Dividing fees for referral of patients or accepting

 

16  kickbacks on medical or surgical services, appliances, or

 

17  medications purchased by or in behalf of patients.

 

18        (iii) Fraud or deceit in obtaining or attempting to obtain

 

19  third party reimbursement.

 

20        (e) Unprofessional conduct, consisting of 1 or more of the

 

21  following:

 

22        (i) Misrepresentation to a consumer or patient or in

 

23  obtaining or attempting to obtain third party reimbursement in

 

24  the course of professional practice.

 

25        (ii) Betrayal of a professional confidence.

 

26        (iii) Promotion for personal gain of an unnecessary drug,

 

27  device, treatment, procedure, or service.

 


 1        (iv) Either of the following:

 

 2        (A) A requirement by a licensee other than a physician that

 

 3  an individual purchase or secure a drug, device, treatment,

 

 4  procedure, or service from another person, place, facility, or

 

 5  business in which the licensee has a financial interest.

 

 6        (B) A referral by a physician for a designated health

 

 7  service that violates section 1877 of part D of title XVIII of

 

 8  the social security act, 42 USC 1395nn, or a regulation

 

 9  promulgated under that section. Section 1877 of part D of title

 

10  XVIII of the social security act, 42 USC 1395nn, and the

 

11  regulations promulgated under that section, as they exist on June

 

12  3, 2002, are incorporated by reference for purposes of this

 

13  subparagraph. A disciplinary subcommittee shall apply section

 

14  1877 of part D of title XVIII of the social security act, 42 USC

 

15  1395nn, and the regulations promulgated under that section

 

16  regardless of the source of payment for the designated health

 

17  service referred and rendered. If section 1877 of part D of title

 

18  XVIII of the social security act, 42 USC 1395nn, or a regulation

 

19  promulgated under that section is revised after June 3, 2002, the

 

20  department shall officially take notice of the revision. Within

 

21  30 days after taking notice of the revision, the department shall

 

22  decide whether or not the revision pertains to referral by

 

23  physicians for designated health services and continues to

 

24  protect the public from inappropriate referrals by physicians. If

 

25  the department decides that the revision does both of those

 

26  things, the department may promulgate rules to incorporate the

 

27  revision by reference. If the department does promulgate rules to

 


 1  incorporate the revision by reference, the department shall not

 

 2  make any changes to the revision. As used in this subparagraph,

 

 3  "designated health service" means that term as defined in section

 

 4  1877 of part D of title XVIII of the social security act, 42 USC

 

 5  1395nn, and the regulations promulgated under that section and

 

 6  "physician" means that term as defined in sections 17001 and

 

 7  17501.

 

 8        (v) For a physician who makes referrals pursuant to section

 

 9  1877 of part D of title XVIII of the social security act, 42 USC

 

10  1395nn, or a regulation promulgated under that section, refusing

 

11  to accept a reasonable proportion of patients eligible for

 

12  medicaid and refusing to accept payment from medicaid or medicare

 

13  as payment in full for a treatment, procedure, or service for

 

14  which the physician refers the individual and in which the

 

15  physician has a financial interest. A physician who owns all or

 

16  part of a facility in which he or she provides surgical services

 

17  is not subject to this subparagraph if a referred surgical

 

18  procedure he or she performs in the facility is not reimbursed at

 

19  a minimum of the appropriate medicaid or medicare outpatient fee

 

20  schedule, including the combined technical and professional

 

21  components.

 

22        (f) Beginning June 3, 2003, the department of consumer and

 

23  industry services shall prepare the first of 3 annual reports on

 

24  the effect of this amendatory act on access to care for the

 

25  uninsured and medicaid patients. The department shall report on

 

26  the number of referrals by licensees of uninsured and medicaid

 

27  patients to purchase or secure a drug, device, treatment,

 


 1  procedure, or service from another person, place, facility, or

 

 2  business in which the licensee has a financial interest.

 

 3        (vi) Providing false or misleading testimony as an expert

 

 4  witness in an action alleging medical malpractice.

 

 5        (f)  (g)  Failure to report a change of name or mailing

 

 6  address within 30 days after the change occurs.

 

 7        (g)  (h)  A violation, or aiding or abetting in a violation,

 

 8  of this article or of a rule promulgated under this article.

 

 9        (h)  (i)  Failure to comply with a subpoena issued pursuant

 

10  to this part, failure to respond to a complaint issued under this

 

11  article or article 7, failure to appear at a compliance

 

12  conference or an administrative hearing, or failure to report

 

13  under section 16222 or 16223.

 

14        (i)  (j)  Failure to pay an installment of an assessment

 

15  levied pursuant to the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL

 

16  500.100 to 500.8302, within 60 days after notice by the

 

17  appropriate board.

 

18        (j)  (k)  A violation of section 17013 or 17513.

 

19        (k)  (l)  Failure to meet 1 or more of the requirements for

 

20  licensure or registration under section 16174.

 

21        (l)  (m)  A violation of section 17015 or 17515.

 

22        (m)  (n)  A violation of section 17016 or 17516.

 

23        (n)  (o)  Failure to comply with section 9206(3).

 

24        (o)  (p)  A violation of section 5654 or 5655.

 

25        (p)  (q)  A violation of section 16274.

 

26        (q)  (r)  A violation of section 17020 or 17520.

 

27        (r)  (s)  A violation of the medical records access act,

 


 1  2004 PA 47, MCL 333.26261 to 333.26271.

 

 2        (s)  (t)  A violation of section 17764(2).

 

 3        Sec. 16226. (1) After finding the existence of 1 or more of

 

 4  the grounds for disciplinary subcommittee action listed in

 

 5  section 16221, a disciplinary subcommittee shall impose 1 or more

 

 6  of the following sanctions for each violation:

 

 

Violations of Section 16221   Sanctions

Subdivision (a), (b)(ii),        Probation, limitation, denial,

(b)(iv), (b)(vi), or              suspension, revocation,

10 (b)(vii)                          restitution, community service,

11                                 or fine.

12 Subdivision (b)(viii)             Revocation or denial.

13 Subdivision (b)(i),              Limitation, suspension,

14 (b)(iii), (b)(v),                 revocation, denial,

15 (b)(ix), (b)(x),                 probation, restitution,

16 (b)(xi), or (b)(xii)              community service, or fine.

17 Subdivision (c)(i)               Denial, revocation, suspension,

18                                 probation, limitation, community

19                                 service, or fine.

20 Subdivision (c)(ii)              Denial, suspension, revocation,

21                                 restitution, community service,

22                                 or fine.

23 Subdivision (c)(iii)              Probation, denial, suspension,

24                                 revocation, restitution,

25                                 community service, or fine.

26 Subdivision (c)(iv)              Fine, probation, denial,

27 or (d)(iii)                       suspension, revocation, community

28                                 service, or restitution.

29 Subdivision (d)(i)               Reprimand, fine, probation,

30 or (d)(ii)                       community service, denial,


                                or restitution.

Subdivision (e)(i)               Reprimand, fine, probation,

                                limitation, suspension, community

                                service, denial, or restitution.

Subdivision (e)(ii)              Reprimand, probation,

or (i)                          suspension, restitution,

                                community service, denial, or

                                fine.

Subdivision (e)(iii),             Reprimand, fine, probation,

10 (e)(iv),  or  (e)(v), or         suspension, revocation,

11 (e)(vi)                          limitation, community service,

12                                 denial, or restitution.

13 Subdivision (g) (f)             Reprimand or fine.

14 Subdivision (h) or (s) (g)      Reprimand, probation, denial,

15 or (r)                          suspension, revocation,

16                                 limitation, restitution,

17                                 community service, or fine.

18 Subdivision (j) (i)             Suspension or fine.

19 Subdivision (k), (p),           Reprimand or fine.

20 or (r) (j), (o), or (q)        

21 Subdivision (l) (k)              Reprimand, denial, or

22                                 limitation.

23 Subdivision (m) or (o)          Denial, revocation, restitution,

24 (l) or (n)                       probation, suspension,

25                                 limitation, reprimand, or fine.

26 Subdivision (n) (m)             Revocation or denial.

27 Subdivision (q) (p)             Revocation.

28 Subdivision (t) (s)             Revocation, fine, and

29                                 restitution.

 

 

30        (2) Determination of sanctions for violations under this

 


 1  section shall be made by a disciplinary subcommittee. If, during

 

 2  judicial review, the court of appeals determines that a final

 

 3  decision or order of a disciplinary subcommittee prejudices

 

 4  substantial rights of the petitioner for 1 or more of the grounds

 

 5  listed in section 106 of the administrative procedures act of

 

 6  1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.306, and holds that the final decision

 

 7  or order is unlawful and is to be set aside, the court shall

 

 8  state on the record the reasons for the holding and may remand

 

 9  the case to the disciplinary subcommittee for further

 

10  consideration.

 

11        (3) A disciplinary subcommittee may impose a fine of up to,

 

12  but not exceeding, $250,000.00 for a violation of section

 

13  16221(a) or (b).

 

14        (4) A disciplinary subcommittee may require a licensee or

 

15  registrant or an applicant for licensure or registration who has

 

16  violated this article or article 7 or a rule promulgated under

 

17  this article or article 7 to satisfactorily complete an

 

18  educational program, a training program, or a treatment program,

 

19  a mental, physical, or professional competence examination, or a

 

20  combination of those programs and examinations.

 

21        Sec. 16245. (1) An individual whose license is limited,

 

22  suspended, or revoked under this part may apply to his or her

 

23  board or task force for a reinstatement of a revoked or suspended

 

24  license or reclassification of a limited license pursuant to

 

25  section 16247 or 16249.

 

26        (2) An individual whose registration is suspended or revoked

 

27  under this part may apply to his or her board for a reinstatement

 


 1  of a suspended or revoked registration pursuant to section 16248.

 

 2        (3) A board or task force shall reinstate a license or

 

 3  registration suspended for grounds stated in section  16221(i) 

 

 4  16221(h) upon payment of the installment.

 

 5        (4) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, in case

 

 6  of a revoked license or registration, an applicant shall not

 

 7  apply for reinstatement before the expiration of 3 years after

 

 8  the effective date of the revocation. In the case of a license or

 

 9  registration that was revoked for a violation of section

 

10  16221(b)(vii), a violation of section 16221(c)(iv) consisting of a

 

11  felony conviction, any other felony conviction involving a

 

12  controlled substance, or a violation of section  16221(p)  

 

13  16221(o), an applicant shall not apply for reinstatement before

 

14  the expiration of 5 years after the effective date of the

 

15  revocation. The department shall return an application for

 

16  reinstatement received before the expiration of the applicable

 

17  time period under this subsection.

 

18        (5) The department shall provide an opportunity for a

 

19  hearing before final rejection of an application for

 

20  reinstatement.

 

21        (6) Based upon the recommendation of the disciplinary

 

22  subcommittee for each health profession, the department shall

 

23  adopt guidelines to establish specific criteria to be met by an

 

24  applicant for reinstatement under this article or article 7. The

 

25  criteria may include corrective measures or remedial education as

 

26  a condition of reinstatement. If a board or task force, in

 

27  reinstating a license or registration, deviates from the

 


 1  guidelines adopted under this subsection, the board or task force

 

 2  shall state the reason for the deviation on the record.

 

 3        (7) An individual who seeks reinstatement or

 

 4  reclassification of a license or registration pursuant to this

 

 5  section shall pay the application processing fee as a

 

 6  reinstatement or reclassification fee. If approved for

 

 7  reinstatement or reclassification, the individual shall pay the

 

 8  per year license or registration fee for the applicable license

 

 9  or registration period.

 

10        Sec. 17001. (1) As used in this part:

 

11        (a) "Academic institution" means either of the following:

 

12        (i) A medical school approved by the board.

 

13        (ii) A hospital licensed under article 17 that meets all of

 

14  the following requirements:

 

15        (A) Was the sole sponsor or a co-sponsor, if each other co-

 

16  sponsor is either a medical school approved by the board or a

 

17  hospital owned by the federal government and directly operated by

 

18  the United States department of veterans' affairs, of not less

 

19  than 4 postgraduate education residency programs approved by the

 

20  board under section 17031(1) for not less than the 3 years

 

21  immediately preceding the date of an application for a limited

 

22  license under section 16182(2)(c) or an application for a full

 

23  license under section 17031(2), provided that at least 1 of the

 

24  residency programs is in the specialty area of medical practice,

 

25  or in a specialty area that includes the subspecialty of medical

 

26  practice, in which the applicant for a limited license proposes

 

27  to practice or in which the applicant for a full license has

 


 1  practiced for the hospital.

 

 2        (B) Has spent not less than $2,000,000.00 for medical

 

 3  education during each of the 3 years immediately preceding the

 

 4  date of an application for a limited license under section

 

 5  16182(2)(c) or an application for a full license under section

 

 6  17031(2). As used in this subparagraph, "medical education" means

 

 7  the education of physicians and candidates for degrees or

 

 8  licenses to become physicians, including, but not limited to,

 

 9  physician staff, residents, interns, and medical students.

 

10        (b) "Medical care services" means those services within the

 

11  scope of practice of physicians licensed by the board, except

 

12  those services that the board determines shall not be delegated

 

13  by a physician without endangering the health and safety of

 

14  patients as provided for in section 17048(3).

 

15        (c) "Physician" means an individual licensed under this

 

16  article to engage in the practice of medicine.

 

17        (d) "Practice of medicine" means the diagnosis, treatment,

 

18  prevention, cure, or relieving of a human disease, ailment,

 

19  defect, complaint, or other physical or mental condition, by

 

20  attendance, advice, device, diagnostic test, or other means, or

 

21  offering, undertaking, attempting to do, or holding oneself out

 

22  as able to do, any of these acts.  The practice of medicine

 

23  includes providing expert witness testimony on the appropriate

 

24  standard of practice or care in an action alleging medical

 

25  malpractice.

 

26        (e) "Practice as a physician's assistant" means the practice

 

27  of medicine or osteopathic medicine and surgery performed under

 


 1  the supervision of a physician or physicians licensed under this

 

 2  part or part 175.

 

 3        (f) "Supervision" means that term as defined in section

 

 4  16109, except that it also includes the existence of a

 

 5  predetermined plan for emergency situations, including, but not

 

 6  limited to, the designation of a physician to supervise a

 

 7  physician's assistant in the absence of the primary supervising

 

 8  physician.

 

 9        (g) "Task force" means the joint task force created in

 

10  sections 17025 and 17525.

 

11        (2) In addition to the definitions in this part, article 1

 

12  contains definitions and principles of construction applicable to

 

13  all articles in this code and part 161 contains definitions

 

14  applicable to this part.

 

15        Sec. 17501.  (1) As used in this part:

 

16        (a) "Medical care services" means those services within the

 

17  scope of practice of physicians licensed and approved by the

 

18  board, except those services that the board determines shall not

 

19  be delegated by a physician without endangering the health and

 

20  safety of patients as provided for in section 17548(3).

 

21        (b) "Physician" means an individual licensed under this

 

22  article to engage in the practice of osteopathic medicine and

 

23  surgery.

 

24        (c) "Practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery" means a

 

25  separate, complete, and independent school of medicine and

 

26  surgery utilizing full methods of diagnosis and treatment in

 

27  physical and mental health and disease, including the

 


 1  prescription and administration of drugs and biologicals,

 

 2  operative surgery, obstetrics, radiological and other

 

 3  electromagnetic emissions, and placing special emphasis on the

 

 4  interrelationship of the musculoskeletal system to other body

 

 5  systems.  The practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery

 

 6  includes providing expert witness testimony on the appropriate

 

 7  standard of practice or care in an action alleging medical

 

 8  malpractice.

 

 9        (d) "Practice as a physician's assistant" means the practice

 

10  of osteopathic medicine performed under the supervision of a

 

11  physician licensed under this part or part 170.

 

12        (e) "Supervision" has the meaning ascribed to it in section

 

13  16109 except that it includes the existence of a predetermined

 

14  plan for emergency situations, including, but not limited to, the

 

15  designation of a physician to supervise a physician's assistant

 

16  in the absence of the primary supervising physician.

 

17        (f) "Task force" means the joint task force created in

 

18  sections 17025 and 17525.

 

19        (2) In addition to the definitions in this part, article 1

 

20  contains general definitions and principles of construction

 

21  applicable to all articles in the code and part 161 contains

 

22  definitions applicable to this part.