Insurance fraud is a serious issue in the healthcare industry, and allegations of fraudulent activity can have significant consequences for medical professionals. In addition to facing legal penalties, physicians who are found guilty of insurance fraud may face disciplinary action from the Illinois Medical Board. They could also lose their provider status with Medicare/Medicaid, limiting their ability to provide services to certain patients, and multiple other aspects of their practice could be affected. By understanding the forms of insurance fraud that could lead to medical license discipline, a doctor and other medical providers can respond to allegations that they…
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Originally published: August 25, 2021 — Update: May 16, 2023
Update: In addition to the issues described below, nurse practitioners may need to be aware of how they may be affected by issues related to prescribing medications for patients. While nurse practitioners may have prescriptive authority, they will need to meet certain requirements. In some cases, nurse practitioners who prescribe controlled substances may face investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Failure to follow the correct procedures could lead to a loss of a nurse practitioner’s controlled substance registration, limiting their ability to prescribe drugs and also impacting…
Continue Reading UPDATE: Requirements of a Nurse Practitioner in Illinois

Medical professionals are responsible for providing an expected quality of care for their patients. They must maintain a high level of professionalism in their practice, and that includes upholding ethical standards and following a code of conduct. Unfortunately, there are many instances of sexual misconduct that have been reported among medical professionals. Complaints of misconduct made by patients or other parties may lead the Illinois Medical Board to investigate a medical professional. The board may take disciplinary action such as suspending a person’s medical license if it believes that these measures are appropriate. By understanding what constitutes sexual misconduct, doctors,…
Continue Reading 3 Examples of Sexual Misconduct That Can Affect a Medical License

Healthcare providers have access to a wide range of medications for the purpose of treating patients. However, this access comes with the added responsibility of ensuring that drugs are not misused or abused. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals play a vital role in ensuring that controlled substances are prescribed and dispensed correctly. However, there are some situations where providers may be accused of allowing prescription drugs to be used for non-medical purposes. By understanding the situations where a person could potentially be accused of drug diversion, a provider can take steps to defend themselves and avoid the…
Continue Reading When Can a Medical Provider Be Accused of Drug Diversion?

As a chiropractor in Illinois, it is vital to follow the standards of professional conduct at all times. Violating these standards can lead to severe consequences that can affect a person’s career and reputation. It is essential to understand what constitutes unprofessional conduct for chiropractors in Illinois and when a person’s license may be suspended or revoked due to issues such as patient complaints and investigations by the Illinois Medical Board. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced professional license defense attorney, chiropractors can determine the best steps to take to avoid discipline or minimize consequences.
Potential Reasons for…
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In Illinois, medical providers such as physicians, nurses, medical offices, and hospitals must adhere to strict ethical and legal standards in order to keep their licenses and ensure that they can continue to provide quality care to their patients. There are a variety of situations where state and federal government organizations may investigate a provider based on patient complaints or allegations of abuse or fraud. These investigations are often performed by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the state or federal OIG may decide to exclude a medical provider from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded…
Continue Reading When Can a Medical Provider Be Excluded by the State or Federal OIG?

Pharmacists are responsible for ensuring that medications are dispensed safely and appropriately. When pharmacies dispense controlled substances to patients, they may face scrutiny by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). If the DEA believes that a pharmacy has engaged in drug diversion, it may perform an investigation, or DEA agents and other law enforcement officials may even conduct a raid of a pharmacy in order to uncover evidence of wrongdoing. In these situations, pharmacists may be unsure about the steps they can take to protect themselves, their rights, and their businesses. By understanding what to do before, during,…
Continue Reading How Can Pharmacists Protect Their Rights in a DEA Raid?

The medical field is a complex ecosystem of specialties, skills, and hierarchies. One aspect of this is the concept of hospital privileges – the permission granted to a medical practitioner to provide patient care within a hospital setting. These privileges are essential to many practicing physicians, and they are an integral component of providing high-quality patient care. However, just as hospital privileges can benefit a medical professional, they can also be lost under certain circumstances. Medical professionals must be aware of the factors that can lead to the loss of hospital privileges, as this can have serious implications for…
Continue Reading What Are the Most Common Reasons for the Loss of Hospital Privileges?

The legalization of medical marijuana in Illinois has been a huge boon to patients seeking relief from various ailments. However, there are certain licensing requirements that must be fulfilled before any person is allowed to legally purchase and use cannabis. Doctors, nurses, or other medical providers who prescribe medical marijuana will need to be sure to abide by all applicable laws and regulations. Failure to do so could not only affect their ability to prescribe the necessary medications to patients, but it could even result in discipline to a medical license or other consequences.
Illinois Medical Cannabis Law
Under the…
Continue Reading Addressing Licensing Issues Related to Medical Marijuana in Illinois

The United States is a notoriously litigious society, and despite the crucial work that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare workers do, they are at constant risk of lawsuits and investigations. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is frequently involved in these cases and their investigations can be ruthless and invasive. Those being investigated are frequently left wondering if they will have to defend themselves against baseless allegations with only their own testimony to assist them. Fortunately, expert witnesses may be able to help. Attorney Joseph Bogdan regularly serves as an expert witness for pharmacists being investigated by…
Continue Reading Can an Expert Witness Help Me in My Disciplinary Hearing?

Few things can arrive in the mail that physicians and other healthcare providers dread more than a letter announcing an insurance audit. Whether this is from a private health insurance company or Medicaid/Medicare, audits mean a lot of paperwork, deadlines, and other bureaucratic complexities are in the future. Even a physician who believes herself to be in full compliance with proper billing procedures may be surprised to find that mistakes have been made – and if there are enough mistakes, that there could be serious professional consequences. Having the help of an Illinois professional license defense attorney can make…
Continue Reading Medical Providers Can Face License Sanctions From Insurance Audits

Medical and pharmacy school are long, grueling, expensive processes. Over many years, students are expected to perform under tight deadlines, enormous pressure, and very little sleep. While many students can handle this without serious problems, others may struggle personally or with aspects of the medical education system that can leave them facing student remediation.
The prospect of facing remediation can be scary and confusing, and it can be difficult to know what to expect. It can also be difficult to know how much you should advocate for yourself versus leaving the process to the judgment of the remediation panel…
Continue Reading Do I Need a Lawyer During a Medical Student Remediation Hearing?

Even after all the effort that doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants, and therapists put into getting educated, credentialed, and approved to practice, they face ongoing hurdles to maintain their ability to practice the healing arts. One of these hurdles is the requirement to maintain continuing education requirements. As the body of research from every field grows and expands, our knowledge about every area of professional practice has the potential to grow and expand accordingly; therefore, licensed medical practitioners of all kinds are required to continue learning about their field.
Licensed professionals are required to self-report how they are meeting their continuing…
Continue Reading Could My License Be Suspended For Missing Continuing Education Requirements?