SENATE BILL No. 577

 

 

October 2, 2013, Introduced by Senators JONES and SCHUITMAKER and referred to the Committee on Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing.

 

 

 

      A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled

 

"Public health code,"

 

by amending sections 16221, 16222, 16226, and 16227 (MCL

 

333.16221, 333.16222, 333.16226, and 333.16227), section 16221 as

 

amended by 2012 PA 501, section 16222 as added and section 16227

 

as amended by 1993 PA 79, and section 16226 as amended by 2012 PA

 

499.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

 1        Sec. 16221. The department shall investigate any allegation

 

 2  that 1 or more of the grounds for disciplinary subcommittee

 

 3  action under this section exist, and may investigate other

 

 4  activities related to the practice of a health profession by a


 

 1  licensee, a registrant, or an applicant for licensure or

 

 2  registration. The As part of the investigation, the department

 

 3  may hold hearings, administer oaths, and order the taking of

 

 4  relevant testimony. and After its investigation, the department

 

 5  shall report its findings to the appropriate disciplinary

 

 6  subcommittee. The disciplinary subcommittee shall proceed under

 

 7  section 16226 if it finds that 1 or more of the following grounds

 

 8  exist:

 

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

 

10  failure to exercise due care, including negligent delegation to

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

14  practice the health profession.

 

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

 

16  the following:

 

17        (i) Incompetence.

 

18        (ii) Subject to sections 16165 to 16170a, substance use

 

19  disorder as defined in section 100d of the mental health code,

 

20  1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1100d.

 

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

 

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

 

23  and competent manner.

 

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

 

25  competent jurisdiction.

 

26        (v) Conviction of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment

 

27  for a maximum term of 2 years; conviction of a misdemeanor


 

 1  involving the illegal delivery, possession, or use of a

 

 2  controlled substance; or a conviction of any felony other than a

 

 3  felony listed or described in another subparagraph of this

 

 4  subdivision. A certified copy of the court record is conclusive

 

 5  evidence of the conviction.

 

 6        (vi) Lack of good moral character.

 

 7        (vii) Conviction of a criminal offense under section 520e or

 

 8  520g of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.520e and

 

 9  750.520g. A certified copy of the court record is conclusive

 

10  evidence of the conviction.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

17  conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

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

 

19  registration, disciplinary, or certification board involving the

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

24  conclusive evidence of the final action.

 

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

 

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

 

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


 

 1  record is conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 5        (xiii) Conviction of a criminal offense under section 520b,

 

 6  520c, 520d, or 520f of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL

 

 7  750.520b, 750.520c, 750.520d, and 750.520f. A certified copy of

 

 8  the court record is conclusive evidence of the conviction.

 

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

 

10  following:

 

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

 

12  registration.

 

13        (ii) Permitting a license or registration to be used by an

 

14  unauthorized person.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

20  other than lawful diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

 

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

 

22  the following:

 

23        (i) False or misleading advertising.

 

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

 

25  kickbacks on medical or surgical services, appliances, or

 

26  medications purchased by or in behalf of patients.

 

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


 

 1  third party reimbursement.

 

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

 

 3  following:

 

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

 

 5  obtaining or attempting to obtain third party reimbursement in

 

 6  the course of professional practice.

 

 7        (ii) Betrayal of a professional confidence.

 

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

 

 9  device, treatment, procedure, or service.

 

10        (iv) Either of the following:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

14  business in which the licensee has a financial interest.

 

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

 

16  service that violates 42 USC 1395nn or a regulation promulgated

 

17  under that section. For purposes of this subdivision, 42 USC

 

18  1395nn and the regulations promulgated under that section as they

 

19  exist on June 3, 2002 are incorporated by reference. A

 

20  disciplinary subcommittee shall apply 42 USC 1395nn and the

 

21  regulations promulgated under that section regardless of the

 

22  source of payment for the designated health service referred and

 

23  rendered. If 42 USC 1395nn or a regulation promulgated under that

 

24  section is revised after June 3, 2002, the department shall

 

25  officially take notice of the revision. Within 30 days after

 

26  taking notice of the revision, the department shall decide

 

27  whether or not the revision pertains to referral by physicians


 

 1  for designated health services and continues to protect the

 

 2  public from inappropriate referrals by physicians. If the

 

 3  department decides that the revision does both of those things,

 

 4  the department may promulgate rules to incorporate the revision

 

 5  by reference. If the department does promulgate rules to

 

 6  incorporate the revision by reference, the department shall not

 

 7  make any changes to the revision. As used in this sub-

 

 8  subparagraph, "designated health service" means that term as

 

 9  defined in 42 USC 1395nn and the regulations promulgated under

 

10  that section and "physician" means that term as defined in

 

11  sections 17001 and 17501.

 

12        (v) For a physician who makes referrals pursuant to under 42

 

13  USC 1395nn or a regulation promulgated under that section,

 

14  refusing to accept a reasonable proportion of patients eligible

 

15  for Medicaid and refusing to accept payment from Medicaid or

 

16  Medicare as payment in full for a treatment, procedure, or

 

17  service for which the physician refers the individual and in

 

18  which the physician has a financial interest. A physician who

 

19  owns all or part of a facility in which he or she provides

 

20  surgical services is not subject to this subparagraph if a

 

21  referred surgical procedure he or she performs in the facility is

 

22  not reimbursed at a minimum of the appropriate Medicaid or

 

23  Medicare outpatient fee schedule, including the combined

 

24  technical and professional components.

 

25        (vi) Any conduct by a health professional with a patient

 

26  while he or she is acting within the health profession for which

 

27  he or she is licensed or registered, including conduct initiated


 

 1  by a patient or to which the patient consents, that is sexual in

 

 2  any way or may reasonably be interpreted as sexual, including,

 

 3  but not limited to, sexual intercourse, kissing in a sexual

 

 4  manner, or touching of a body part for any purpose other than

 

 5  appropriate examination, treatment, or comfort.

 

 6        (vii) Offering to provide practice-related services, such as

 

 7  drugs, in exchange for sexual favors.

 

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

 

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

 

10  the effect of 2002 PA 402 on access to care for the uninsured and

 

11  Medicaid patients. The department shall report on the number of

 

12  referrals by licensees of uninsured and Medicaid patients to

 

13  purchase or secure a drug, device, treatment, procedure, or

 

14  service from another person, place, facility, or business in

 

15  which the licensee has a financial interest.

 

16        (g) Failure to report a change of name or mailing address

 

17  within 30 days after the change occurs.

 

18        (h) A violation, or aiding or abetting in a violation, of

 

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

 

20        (i) Failure to comply with a subpoena issued pursuant to

 

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

 

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

 

23  conference or an administrative hearing, or failure to report

 

24  under section 16222 16222(1) or 16223.

 

25        (j) Failure to pay an installment of an assessment levied

 

26  under the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.100 to

 

27  500.8302, within 60 days after notice by the appropriate board.


 

 1        (k) A violation of section 17013 or 17513.

 

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

 

 3  licensure or registration under section 16174.

 

 4        (m) A violation of section 17015, 17015a, 17017, 17515, or

 

 5  17517.

 

 6        (n) A violation of section 17016 or 17516.

 

 7        (o) Failure to comply with section 9206(3).

 

 8        (p) A violation of section 5654 or 5655.

 

 9        (q) A violation of section 16274.

 

10        (r) A violation of section 17020 or 17520.

 

11        (s) A violation of the medical records access act, 2004 PA

 

12  47, MCL 333.26261 to 333.26271.

 

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

 

14        (u) Failure to notify under section 16222(3).

 

15        Sec. 16222. (1) A licensee or registrant having who has

 

16  knowledge that another licensee or registrant has committed a

 

17  violation under section 16221 or article 7 or a rule promulgated

 

18  under article 7 shall report the conduct and the name of the

 

19  subject of the report to the department. Information obtained by

 

20  the department under this subsection is confidential and is

 

21  subject to sections 16238 and 16244. Failure of a licensee or

 

22  registrant to make a report under this subsection does not give

 

23  rise to a civil cause of action for damages against the licensee

 

24  or registrant, but the licensee or registrant is subject to

 

25  administrative action under sections 16221 and 16226. This

 

26  subsection does not apply to a licensee or registrant who obtains

 

27  the knowledge of a violation while providing professional


 

 1  services to the licensee or registrant to whom the knowledge

 

 2  applies, who is serving on a duly constituted ethics or peer

 

 3  review committee of a professional association, or who is serving

 

 4  on a committee assigned a professional review function in a

 

 5  health facility or agency.

 

 6        (2) Unless the licensee or registrant making the report

 

 7  otherwise agrees in writing, the identity of the licensee or

 

 8  registrant making the a report under subsection (1) shall remain

 

 9  confidential unless disciplinary proceedings under this part are

 

10  initiated against the subject of the report and the licensee or

 

11  registrant making the report is required to testify in the

 

12  proceedings.

 

13        (3) A licensee or registrant shall notify the department of

 

14  a any criminal conviction or a disciplinary licensing or

 

15  registration action taken by another state against the licensee

 

16  or registrant within 30 days after the date of the conviction or

 

17  action. This subsection includes, but is not limited to, a

 

18  disciplinary action that is stayed pending appeal. Failure of a

 

19  licensee or registrant to notify the department under this

 

20  subsection may result in administrative action under sections

 

21  16221 and 16226.

 

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

 

23  the grounds for disciplinary subcommittee action listed in

 

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

 

25  of the following sanctions for each violation:

 

 

26

 Violations of Section 16221

            Sanctions


1

 Subdivision (a), (b)(ii),

Probation, limitation, denial,

2

 (b)(iv), (b)(vi), or

suspension, revocation,

3

 (b)(vii)

restitution, community service,

4

 

or fine.

5

 

 

6

 Subdivision (b)(viii)

Revocation or denial.

7

 

 

8

 Subdivision (b)(i),

Limitation, suspension,

9

 (b)(iii), (b)(v),

revocation, denial,

10

 (b)(ix), (b)(x),

probation, restitution,

11

 (b)(xi), or (b)(xii)

community service, or fine.

12

 

 

13

 Subdivision (b)(xiii)

Probation, Permanent revocation

14

 

for a violation described in

15

 

subsection (5); otherwise,

16

 

probation, limitation, denial,

17

 

suspension, revocation, or

18

 

restitution , community service,

19

 

fine, or, subject

20

 

to subsection (5),

21

 

permanent revocation. and a fine

22

 

may be assessed.

23

 

 

24

 Subdivision (c)(i)

Denial, revocation, suspension,

25

 

probation, limitation, community

26

 

service, or fine.

27

 

 

28

 Subdivision (c)(ii)

Denial, suspension, revocation,

29

 

restitution, community service,


1

 

or fine.

2

 

 

3

 Subdivision (c)(iii)

Probation, denial, suspension,

4

 

revocation, restitution,

5

 

community service, or fine.

6

 

 

7

 Subdivision (c)(iv)

Fine, probation, denial,

8

 or (d)(iii)

suspension, revocation, community

9

 

service, or restitution.

10

 

 

11

 Subdivision (d)(i)

Reprimand, fine, probation,

12

 or (d)(ii)

community service, denial,

13

 

or restitution.

14

 

 

15

 Subdivision (e)(i)

Reprimand, fine, probation,

16

 

limitation, suspension, community

17

 

service, denial, or restitution.

18

 

 

19

 Subdivision (e)(ii)

Reprimand, probation,

20

 or (i)

suspension, restitution,

21

 

community service, denial, or

22

 

fine.

23

 

 

24

 Subdivision (e)(iii),

Reprimand, fine, probation,

25

 (e)(iv), or (e)(v)

suspension, revocation,

26

 

limitation, community service,

27

 

denial, or restitution.

28

 

 

29

 Subdivision (e)(vi) or

Probation, suspension, revocation,


1

 (e)(vii)

limitation, denial, or restitution

2

 

and a fine may be assessed.

3

 

 

4

 Subdivision (g)

Reprimand or fine.

5

 

 

6

 Subdivision (h) or (s)

Reprimand, probation, denial,

7

 

suspension, revocation,

8

 

limitation, restitution,

9

 

community service, or fine.

10

 

 

11

 Subdivision (j)

Suspension or fine.

12

 

 

13

 Subdivision (k), (p),

Reprimand or fine.

14

 or (r)

 

15

 

 

16

 Subdivision (l)

Reprimand, denial, or

17

 

limitation.

18

 

 

19

 Subdivision (m) or (o)

Denial, revocation, restitution,

20

 

probation, suspension,

21

 

limitation, reprimand, or fine.

22

 

 

23

 Subdivision (n)

Revocation or denial.

24

 

 

25

 Subdivision (q)

Revocation.

26

 

 

27

 Subdivision (t)

Revocation, fine, and

28

 

restitution.

29

 

 


1

 Subdivision (u)

Reprimand, denial, limitation,

2

 

probation, or fine.

 

 

 3        (2) Determination of sanctions for violations under this

 

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

 

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

 

 6  decision or order of a disciplinary subcommittee prejudices

 

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

 

 8  listed in section 106 of the administrative procedures act of

 

 9  1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.306, and holds that the final decision

 

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

 

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

 

12  the case to the disciplinary subcommittee for further

 

13  consideration.

 

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

 

15  but not exceeding, in an amount that does not exceed $250,000.00

 

16  for a violation of section 16221(a) or (b). A disciplinary

 

17  subcommittee shall impose a fine of at least $25,000.00 if the

 

18  violation of section 16221(a) or (b) results in the death of 1 or

 

19  more patients.

 

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

 

21  registrant or an applicant for licensure or registration who has

 

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

 

23  this article or article 7 to satisfactorily complete an

 

24  educational program, a training program, or a treatment program,

 

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

 

26  combination of those programs and examinations.

 


 1        (5) A disciplinary subcommittee shall not impose the

 

 2  sanction of permanent revocation for a violation of section

 

 3  16221(b)(xiii) unless if the violation occurred while the licensee

 

 4  or registrant was acting within the health profession for which

 

 5  he or she was licensed or registered.

 

 6        Sec. 16227. (1) For an offense committed within 2 years

 

 7  after a previous offense of the same kind, a disciplinary

 

 8  subcommittee may shall suspend the license or registration for a

 

 9  period of at least 180 days or revoke the license or

 

10  registration.

 

11        (2) Section 16226 and this section do not limit any other

 

12  sanction or additional action a disciplinary subcommittee is

 

13  authorized to impose or take.