la-202609-034eec3f22: Adjudication

Department of Health Board of Medical Examiners Adjudication (LAC 46:XLV.9935) Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq., and pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Medical Examiners (the board) by the Louisiana Medical Practice Act., R.S. 37:1270 et seq., the board proposes to amend its rules governing assessment of costs and fines. Title 46 PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS Part XLV. Medical Professions Subpart 5. Rules of Procedure Subchapter A.Petitions for Rulemaking Chapter 99.Adjudication §9935.Assessment of Costs and Fines A.Assessment. As part of a decision, consent order, or other agreed order, the board may require a respondent to pay all costs of the board proceedings. If costs are assessed in a consent or other agreed order, the amount shall be stated in the order. B.Special Definition. Costs of the Proceedings—for the purposes of this rule, shall mean a reasonable charge to meet all obligations incurred by the board in the performance of its duties, including but not limited to investigators', stenographers', and attorneys’ fees, witness fees and expenses, and the per diem and expenses of the members of the board's hearing panel. C.Notice. Notice of the application of this Section shall be provided to a respondent with the written notice of filing of an administrative complaint, pursuant to 9905. D.Timing; Content; Service; Scope and Limitations; Exceptions and Requests for Modification; Disposition. Statements of Costs shall be processed as follows: 1.Timing. A statement of costs shall be compiled by the board within 20 days from the date on which the board’s decision is served on the respondent. 2.Content. A statement of costs must state with particularity the nature and amount of the costs assessed. The statement must be signed and certify that all reasonable attempts have been made to ensure the statement's accuracy. 3.Service. A statement of costs shall be served on respondent by regular and certified mail at the last known address on file with the board not later than 20 days from the date on which the board’s decision is served on the respondent. 4.Scope and Limitations. A statement of costs shall be assessed in any decision following an administrative hearing, in which a respondent is found guilty of a violation of a law or rule administered by the board. The statement shall include those costs actually incurred by the board from the time of filing of an administrative complaint until the issuance of a final decision or order; 5.Exceptions; Requests for Modification. Within 20 days of the date of service of the statement of costs: a.the respondent may file an exception to, or submit a request for modification of, a statement of costs. Each such exception or request shall be accompanied by a concise statement of the grounds on which the exception or request is based and any supporting legal or other authority. Within 10 days of such filing or submission, a response may be filed by the complainant; b.the complainant may request an assessment of costs above the amounts specified above. Such a request shall be made only when the complainant contends a respondent unreasonably increased the costs of the proceedings by activities undertaken to harass or create undue burden, or by the repetitive, unduly burdensome, or unwarranted filing of meritless motions or discovery requests. Within 10 days of the filing of such a request, a response may be filed by the respondent. 6.Disposition of Exceptions and Requests for Modification. Upon timely filing: a.an exception or request shall be referred to the presiding officer of the hearing panel with respect to the proceeding for a ruling. The presiding officer, in his or her discretion, may refer an exception or request to the entire hearing panel which considered the case for disposition, and any party aggrieved by the ruling of a presiding officer may request, within 10 days of receipt of the ruling, that the exception or request be reconsidered by the entire panel which heard the case; b.the matter shall ordinarily be decided on by the presiding officer or the hearing panel, as the case may be, on the papers filed, without hearing. On the written request of respondent or complainant, however, and on demonstration that there are good grounds therefor, the presiding officer may grant opportunity for hearing by oral argument; c.the president of the board or presiding officer of the hearing panel, as the case may be, may delegate the task of ruling on such exceptions or request to the board’s independent legal counsel appointed pursuant to §9921D, who is independent of complaint counsel and who has not participated in the investigation or prosecution of the case. E.Payment of Costs and Expenses; Periodic Payment Plan; Waiver 1.A statement of costs must be satisfied within 30 days of receipt unless the statement of costs provides otherwise or the respondent enters into a periodic payment plan with the board’s compliance officer assigned to the matter or with another individual designated by the board. 2.The board’s compliance officer or designee may enter into an agreement with a respondent for a reasonable periodic payment plan if the respondent demonstrates in writing the present inability to pay such costs or provides other satisfactory cause to support the request. 3.A respondent may ask the board to review an adverse determination by its compliance officer or designee regarding specific conditions for a periodic payment plan. Such review shall be conducted in accordance with §9935.D.6. F.Fine. As part of a decision, consent order, or other agreed order, the board may require the payment of a fine; provided, however, that such fine shall not exceed, as to a respondent: a.physician, the sum of $5,000; b.allied health care practitioner, the amount authorized by law, but in no event more than $5,000. G.Waiver; Adjustment. A statement of costs or amount of a fine, or both, may be waived or reduced by the board, in its discretion, in whole or part, upon a request submitted in writing that evidences to the board’s satisfaction a significant medical, physical, financial or similar extenuating circumstance precluding the individual's payment of costs or fine or where it appears to the board in the interests of justice to do so. H.Failure to Comply with Assessment of Costs or Fine. A respondent who fails to timely pay a statement of costs or fine, or who fails to comply with the terms of a periodic payment plan, shall be notified in writing of non-compliance. A respondent’s failure to comply with such notice within 30 days may provide a basis for further action by the board, including referral to the Office of the Attorney General for collections. Only one 30-day grace period will be granted, any subsequent failure to timely pay or failure to comply with the terms of the payment plan, will result in immediate referral to the AGs. I.Nothing in this Section shall delay, suspend, extend, or otherwise affect the time authorized by law within which a respondent may file a petition for judicial review of a final decision or order issued by the board. AUTHORITY NOTE:Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1261-1292, 37:1270, 37:1285. HISTORICAL NOTE:Promulgated by the Department of Health, Board of Medical Examiners, LR 47:726 (June 2021), amended by Board of Medical Examiners, LR 52: Family Impact Statement In compliance with Act 1183 of the 1999 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the impact of the proposed amendments on the family has been considered. It is not anticipated that the proposed amendments will have any impact on family formation, stability or autonomy, as described in R.S. 49:972. Poverty Impact Statement In compliance with Act 854 of the 2012 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the impact of the proposed amendments on those that may be living at or below one hundred percent of the federal poverty line has been considered. It is not anticipated that the proposed amendments will have any impact on child, individual or family poverty in relation to individual or community asset development, as described in R.S. 49:973. Small Business Analysis It is not anticipated that the proposed amendments will have any adverse impact on small businesses as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, R.S. 49:978.1 et seq. Provider Impact Statement In compliance with HCR 170 of the 2014 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the impact of the proposed amendments on organizations that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities has been considered. It is not anticipated that the proposed amendments will have any impact on the staffing, costs or overall ability of such organizations to provide the same level of services, as described in HCR 170. Public Comments Interested persons may submit written data, views, arguments, information or comments on the proposed amendments to Jacintha Duthu, LSBME, 630 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. She is responsible for responding to inquiries. Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. on October 21, 2026. Public Hearing A request pursuant to R.S. 49:953(A)(2) for a public hearing must be made in writing and received by the board within 20 days of the date of this notice. If a public hearing is requested to provide data, views, arguments, information or comments orally in accordance with the Louisiana Administrative Procedure Act, the hearing will be held on October 21, 2026 at 9 a.m., at the office of the LSBME, 630 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. Any person wishing to attend should call in advance to confirm. Vincent A. Culotta, Jr., M.D., Executive Director FISCAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE RULES RULE TITLE: Adjudication I.ESTIMATED IMPLEMENTATION COSTS (SAVINGS) TO STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (Summary) Other than the cost of rulemaking, there are no estimated implementation costs or savings for state or local governmental units resulting from the promulgation of the proposed rule change. The cost for the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) is approximately $640 in FY 27 for the notice and rule publication in the Louisiana Register. LSBME proposes to amend the section governing the assessment of costs and fines for a respondent to board proceedings. The proposed rule removes the self-imposed recovery cap of $75,000 for physicians and $25,000 for allied health care practitioners. It also makes amendments to notify the licensees that failure to pay or comply with a payment plan will result in referral to the Office of the Attorney General (AG) for collections. II.ESTIMATED EFFECT ON REVENUE COLLECTIONS OF STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL UNITS (Summary) The proposed rule change is not anticipated to impact the revenue collections of state or local governmental units. III.ESTIMATED COSTS AND/OR ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO DIRECTLY AFFECTED PERSONS, SMALL BUSINESSES, OR NONGOVERNMENTAL GROUPS (Summary) The proposed rule is not anticipated to result in any material economic impact on directly affected persons, small businesses, or non-governmental groups. IV.ESTIMATED EFFECT ON COMPETITION AND EMPLOYMENT (Summary) The proposed rule change is not anticipated to have an effect on competition or employment. Dr. Vincent Culotta, Jr.Alan M. Boxberger Executive DirectorLegislative Fiscal Officer 2609#080Legislative Fiscal Office