[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6307099,"mediaKeyId","2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121","parentId",2435248,"title","Board secures author for physician health and wellness bill; advocates and some board members disagree on stakeholder outreach","audioSeconds",1618,"startMs",4340000,"endMs",5958000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121&start=4340&end=5958","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121/thumbnail_4340000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6307099/California/Board-secures-author-for-physician-health-and-wellness-bill-advocates-and-some-board-members-disagree-on-stakeholder-outreach","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307099-47599bc8d5c4650c45a841ad8296d767/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079181&Signature=OVfPdAYUne2ZpLkfTlsGf491818JXajKneQujXEtrr7nTzCY5q~PHHlSoqK99Z3mmav9xN7KpJ57z2YoBqSwuXai~aR-SY9GSZjkNhUXifPULb9GAmRRVSWKZcV0Sc5VSXGJPscMdpG8iH5qa0FWeNE3uTtLJFUOUnc~TrMU99D5j1i~HNGcfCWdLqQ15zRftlvZIwx2pW0CFXrxOvUOiUPUgN5OvZ0tbezBDV9-gajG3H-DF904udWL198tyeeNX3c5UZcyz8hhI~95GZoxUJv7MfvLB78BuKW4X4An6zsqH2js6cdCgE5b3gBv0PLk1Gia6Me-lHVY~~S9wLoiFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Medical Board of California","date","2025-02-27T19:47:23Z","article","The Medical Board of California announced at its quarterly meeting that Assemblymember Mark Berman has agreed to author legislation to create a physician health and wellness program, currently filed as spot bill AB 408. Board staff said the bill will be amended to reflect the board’s policy direction and that President Christina Lawson and Vice President Dr. Helzer have delegated authority to work with the author's office on the bill text.

Erin Bone, legislative staff, said the board has met with multiple interested organizations since the November meeting and expects a more active legislative calendar in May. Bone said staff will continue stakeholder meetings and work with the author’s office on amendments.

President Christina Lawson framed the bill as an effort to protect patients by identifying physicians with impairment early and connecting them to treatment before harm occurs. \"The purpose of the physician health and wellness program is patient protection,\" Lawson said during the meeting, emphasizing outreach and multiple public meetings the board has held over the previous 12 months on the topic.

Public commenters and several advocacy organizations disputed that characterization and said they had been insufficiently consulted. Multiple callers from Consumer Watchdog and other patient-advocate groups criticized a consultant who addressed the board at an earlier meeting and said the board had not offered a public stakeholder meeting with sufficient time for advocates to provide detailed input. Advocates urged in-person public stakeholder meetings and said they will continue to press for changes and transparency.

The California Medical Association gave a brief in-person statement of support. Lucas Evenson of CMA said the organization “appreciates the work done by board staff to secure an author for the Physician Health and Wellness Program legislation” and that CMA will continue to engage with the board and legislature.

Board members debated the best next steps. Some members, including Dr. Thorpe and others, said prevention and early identification of impaired physicians are primary goals and that the board had held multiple public meetings in different regions in the prior year. Other members and public participants asked the board to host an additional public stakeholder meeting focused on the draft legislative language. No final policy text was adopted at the meeting; staff were authorized to continue negotiations with the author and stakeholders.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Medical Board of California Quarterly Board Meeting Day 1 February 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Medical Board of California secured Assemblymember Mark Berman as author for a physician health and wellness bill (AB 408) intended to identify and treat impaired physicians earlier, and the announcement prompted sharp disagreement between board leaders and patient advocates over whether the public had been adequately consulted.","taxTitle","Medical Board of California, Other State Agencies, Executive, California","taxId",76742,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307108,"Board adopts modified fee structure for petitions for penalty relief; initial fees set, remaining costs adjudicated by ALJ",1875,4680000,6555000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121&start=4680&end=6555","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121/thumbnail_4680000.jpg","/articles/6307108/California/Board-adopts-modified-fee-structure-for-petitions-for-penalty-relief-initial-fees-set-remaining-costs-adjudicated-by-ALJ","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307108-65d2c3956e66664923225270daa1c862/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079181&Signature=hW~V4ndUXkwKoz14LWkoF6cBE-mwCjp-72G-JnjEEu9DlKK0w~jD325k7sW72Pg4OOxGR4aRosS6xFjrti-Jn30w5lg-9EvGqYGHlkMAR8f7duHP52ia7MNLu6CIoDnH2WPWRguZwGZ0QfIV0zJZSBrAeCERU-eLqLzISuFzueyu9hy0ADNjQzIfd1B3mCBkw-eWUXaPuYvJdTox7gBDHqN52ZJXm0ly6efpg3ln9ByYxkzlPrNMDL7fj43mpnPIGY3fjdl~Jb9FJxPRVwMryjvvDLByc0YEbOS0xEPOhUKwxSTSGkC~PIHOEWWieYxihKftTndqCJV54VGcFTjddQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Medical Board of California voted to adopt modified regulations that establish initial filing fees for petitions for penalty relief and a process for recovering remaining adjudication costs.

Keri (staff attorney) told the board that the alternative proposal responded to public comments that an upfront payment of roughly $22,000 would bar some petitioners from seeking relief. Under the modified proposal, petitioners seeking reinstatement must submit an initial fee of $2,962 and petitioners seeking modification or early termination of probation must submit an initial fee of $1,242. The remaining fee for Attorney General and Office of Administrative Hearings services would be determined by the administrative law judge and is capped at $22,000 less the initial fee already paid. The ALJ’s proposed remaining fee is subject to review by the board and the petitioner may present evidence of inability to pay or challenge reasonableness at hearing.

Keri explained that the initial fees represent the board’s costs up to the point the petition is referred to the Attorney General’s Office. The board directed staff to publish the modified text for a 15-day comment period and to complete the rulemaking steps if no adverse comments are received.

Lucas Evenson, representing the California Medical Association, opposed the rule and urged the board to withdraw the package. Evenson said the modified approach still leaves petitioners exposed to potential total adjudication costs of up to $22,000 and that the board’s fiscal outlook made a fee unnecessary. \"Physicians will have no way of knowing the exact cost until the ALJ makes a determination,\" Evenson told the board.

The board passed the motion by roll-call vote. Several board members stated the fees aim to recover actual costs and to discourage low-quality filings that repeat the same petitions without evidence of rehabilitation. Staff were directed to publish the revised text and to return with final materials if adverse comments are received.","The Medical Board of California approved modified regulations requiring initial filing fees for petitions for reinstatement and for modification or early termination of probation, with remaining adjudication costs to be determined by an administrative law judge subject to a capped amount.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307094,"Public commenters press board on opioid-settlement effects, pain-guideline rollout, long COVID education and complaint-form redesign",255,428000,683000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121&start=428&end=683","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121/thumbnail_428000.jpg","/articles/6307094/California/Public-commenters-press-board-on-opioid-settlement-effects-pain-guideline-rollout-long-COVID-education-and-complaint-form-redesign","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307094-0a9ab70ad3504ac362e98776f8583314/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079181&Signature=CsMQMC7BY7sdNEylwU2nOO0D1JbAQ6-4uIhhYEbv5xx6NlAsBzWAvUYQF9kLdNQ1ybSPOoq2PczjHh-~AA-zjZaeusAi2zmv7~EOnRw7eP5F9ymSbAFkdGcIyEmia5GiocqBz~nDMv9FQj4JPDKAmtM~uhF1sh-fEPC2UMfdhGeR2EciVfwuojnWUioALZET2A2SQXq7TkLJdzySmjKUZDvpoVjqtwqdqzJy0aLb1QYP5bXoUhYhnnzlc7IIPUFES-CT1KnbATLWvFpChAIKAkTHGT9lSaYe44jd-WWYAwntbSN-dX69VHG7x5VHj-PXVxdSP1~ihdNWlpSorXlJNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public comment at the Medical Board of California’s quarterly meeting covered a range of health-policy topics. Several speakers raised concerns about the National Opioid Settlements injunctive relief and its effects on prescribing and medication access. Other commenters urged the board to do more outreach about the board’s July 2023 controlled-substance prescribing guidelines and to ensure those guidelines support individualized care for chronic pain patients.

Pat Irving, an RN and member of the National Campaign to Protect People in Pain, told the board the settlement’s injunctive relief uses an algorithm to identify “suspicious physicians” without clinical context and that the settlement thresholds were causing medication shortages for legitimate patients. “The injunction’s restrictions ... are causing shortages of medication for legitimate patients and their respective physicians,” Irving said during public comment, and she asked the board to follow up.

Monte Goddard and Kirk Kitsac, both speakers in the chronic-pain community, urged more aggressive rollout and physician outreach for the 2023 prescribing guidelines to reduce the number of physicians unwilling to treat legacy pain patients and to improve access to individualized treatment. Goddard requested that new board members review prior meeting materials from February 2022 and May 2023 so they understand the guideline development process.

Susanna Zaretsky, presenting as the citizen sponsor of Assembly Bill 3119, asked the board to add AB 3119 to the board’s legislative agenda to require a long COVID continuing-education class for medical professionals; she said curriculum resources are already available from Project ECHO and the University of California.

Multiple callers from Consumer Watchdog and volunteers — including Denise Johnson, Monique Hines and Marion Hollingsworth — urged the board to include patient advocates in the redesign of the online complaint form and to publish metrics about the new complainant liaison unit, specifically how many complainants received interviews and how many declined. Several public speakers asked for additional public stakeholder meetings to provide deeper feedback on complaint form changes and on the physician health legislation.

Speakers asked the board to prioritize timely outreach and better transparency around complaint handling and the rollout of practice guidance. Board staff said they will continue to solicit stakeholder input and would provide further updates on the complaint-tracking system and complaint form integration into Breeze.","Public commenters at the Medical Board of California’s quarterly meeting urged the board to investigate harms from the National Opioid Settlements injunctive relief, to push a stronger rollout of opioid prescribing guidelines, to add AB 3119 (long COVID continuing education) to the board’s legislative agenda, and to include patient advocates in the complaint-form redesign.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307113,"Votes at a glance: board approves rulemaking on petition fees, adopts administrative manual revisions, and OKs minutes",3154,3678000,6832000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121&start=3678&end=6832","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121/thumbnail_3678000.jpg","/articles/6307113/California/Votes-at-a-glance-board-approves-rulemaking-on-petition-fees-adopts-administrative-manual-revisions-and-OKs-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307113-bb603c3fc6bcacd69ac41562e57bc211/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079181&Signature=NXmHosAWmK6X5vAn7OGEB~uqIGJjFrjDD9vtJ5vF8fYsjMmDOg8ftJLZQW1Mq0-IYQ2FiyiAHdw4AUU-SChO3w-BHkUnF2Vm~8CNgg33zRjFTfucgLeHoYJA7K5SU3T54VXJGENtPQjXwPimshe80stHDGliul1N3aAfAiO5XpVL1o10qK1Fh6hK0ayyKq2u~S775aDNk10DoaoIlZS7fka0hBbRqgLwWpdLZPMSKC9f1O4G2FCuP3NTcwy3ZxSLSoEPKfdS5cF-v7Z-bMfsvdhMhh8tXSVPEGGibTB9LY4JKstMeqOsLQTQjumD8Bg9zBZA8VURC~CL0YF5r9QRNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Medical Board of California took three recorded votes during its quarterly meeting in Fresno.

The board approved modified regulatory text to establish an initial fee for petitions for penalty relief and a capped adjudication fee to cover the board's reasonable costs. The motion to adopt the modified text was moved by Dr. Daniel Yip and seconded by Dr. Mahmood and passed on a roll-call vote with the members present voting yes.

The board also approved a substantive update to the board member administrative procedure manual, clarifying quorum and voting rules, meeting and public-comment procedures, panel voting processes, and training requirements. The manual changes were approved by roll-call vote.

Finally, the board approved the minutes of its November meeting on a roll-call vote. The motions to approve the minutes and the two regulatory/administrative items were carried by the quorum present.

Votes and procedural details appear in the public record and were documented on the meeting's roll-call. The board's actions included directing staff to proceed with next steps in rulemaking and to publish the finalized manual.","The Medical Board of California approved three formal actions at its quarterly meeting in Fresno: adoption of a modified rule on fees for petitions for penalty relief, an update to the board member administrative procedure manual, and approval of the November meeting minutes. All three motions passed by recorded roll-call votes.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307104,"Board hears enforcement, licensing and IT updates: HQIU staffing rises, complainant liaison unit stands up, and finance shows improving trajectory",507,3373000,3880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121&start=3373&end=3880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435248-4907a68d8bf67661023e951098016121/thumbnail_3373000.jpg","/articles/6307104/California/Board-hears-enforcement-licensing-and-IT-updates-HQIU-staffing-rises-complainant-liaison-unit-stands-up-and-finance-shows-improving-trajectory","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307104-bddb89092bcbe1da8fe942af944a81b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079181&Signature=LHlMiSvvQTeBX8lj0FGhkyy6-ucxvlSX~8NCIMQzLZI4foLvUiBCtpJnkgvyNUf65YpLHSag3FrpIRvfESCaElakP8Z6ftwHg84ITn9FNy3HUJd5lxsT0Gdk11Ss8po6PRNih1AKn3usroreJQzAwDPGVw2mvhJp1ZI0srIHZ74Wl6ANOiS0gtyekkd-TVfvL20CG2fLJqUx~JHeBuwxDBJcSM1JtRuRYPGH2YmCNsfRAJNix3yiU~hJ9wvEc6hoO6otIYRw8aDYAlDi2FU15aY3aWcqk-Fm9qpsYvIe1lUdzErCylUyLiN9ZJSTUh6rmxLUdD46ZRq-Vj7Sk3nOKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board executives used the quarterly meeting to report on enforcement staffing, licensing program work, applications activity, and information-technology projects.

Charlene Smith, newly in the enforcement chief role, reported enforcement statistics and said the complainant liaison unit (CLAU) has been established and is interviewing consumers in real time. As of the report, CLAU had six analysts onboard and had referred roughly 116 cases to the unit for follow-up; staff said training for the unit was complete and more consumer interviews were underway. The enforcement divisions also reported ongoing efforts to recruit and renew expert reviewer contracts and to manage probation caseloads.

Kathleen Nichols and Stephanie Whitley of the Health Quality Investigation Unit (HQIU) reported 8 new investigators began between December and January and several more candidates were in background checks. HQIU said the Fresno field office is fully staffed; leadership said increased staffing has already reduced investigator caseloads and that average days-to-complete investigations show a downward trend compared with earlier years, though some cases remain lengthy.

John Hawkes (ISB) summarized IT and application work: the iOS licensing app remains in final testing, the complaint form redesign will be phased into Breeze, DOCS improvements allow postgraduate training programs to upload licensee documents, and the volunteer physician registry registration process was simplified, bringing new volunteers online. Licensing staff said in the last reported quarter the board received 14,380 initial license applications and issued 1,493 licenses during that quarter; licensing outreach included participation at the California Medical Association annual meeting.

Executive Director Varghese presented a budget update noting an improving financial picture. He reported that the board operated with previously borrowed funds and that, per the packet, the board had repaid $10 million and anticipated repaying the remainder with interest by year-end; he described a projected budget surplus in the current fiscal year and said if current fiscal controls hold the large $27 million loan projected in one published budget scenario might be reduced or eliminated. He thanked staff, the governor's office, legislative champions and stakeholders for their roles in improving the fiscal outlook.

Board members and public commenters pressed for transparency about the complaint-tracking system, requested earlier outreach on prescribing guidelines and pain-management rollout, and asked for more data on complainant interviews and outcomes. Several public commenters from consumer-advocacy groups requested the board consult patient advocates on the complaint-form redesign and asked that the board publish metrics about how many complainants were interviewed by the new CLAU.","Board staff reported progress on investigative staffing, launch of a complainant liaison unit, technology and licensing updates and a stronger fiscal picture. HQIU reported multiple new investigators and reduced backlog; the executive director said the board may no longer need a previously envisioned $27 million loan if current trends continue.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board secures author for physician health and wellness bill; advocates and some board members disagree on stakeholder outreach

Board adopts modified fee structure for petitions for penalty relief; initial fees set, remaining costs adjudicated by ALJ

Public commenters press board on opioid-settlement effects, pain-guideline rollout, long COVID education and complaint-form redesign

Votes at a glance: board approves rulemaking on petition fees, adopts administrative manual revisions, and OKs minutes

Board hears enforcement, licensing and IT updates: HQIU staffing rises, complainant liaison unit stands up, and finance shows improving trajectory