House of Representatives

HB 2063

naturopathic board

Sponsors: Representative Voss

X	Committee on Health
	Caucus and COW
	As Passed the House

HB 2063 broadens regulatory authority and changes licensing and certification requirements for the Naturopathic Board.

History

The Naturopathic Board is responsible for the licensure, certification and regulation of naturopathic physicians. The Board also certifies medical assistants and training programs for students of naturopathic medicine. The Board currently licenses 200 physicians and certifies 140 students and 108 training programs. The Board is comprised of three physician and two public members. Many of the proposed statutory changes have been recommended by the Auditor General as a result of a June 2000 audit. The Board has 3 full-time employees and operated on a budget of $136,000 in FY 2000.

Provisions

· Specifies minimum education requirements for licensing reciprocity.

· Expands licensing reciprocity to include graduates of foreign medical schools that meet minimum licensing requirements.

· Eliminates liability of license applicant for accuracy of information that is not submitted to the Board by the applicant.

· Establishes 60-day timeframe for the Board to notify license applicants in writing of their application deficiencies.

· Decreases timeframe for fixing deficiencies in license application from one year to ninety days.

· Decreases timeframe from one year to one hundred twenty days for license applicant to correct deficiencies identified during licensing interview by the Board.

· Includes national board certification as an alternative to Board examinations as a licensing requirement.

· Establishes confidential status for applicants and licensees’ examination materials and examination grades.

· Eliminates the use of the term “renewal” when referring to annual fees for consistency.

· Allows the Board to establish non-refundable fees for services by vote at a public meeting.

· Allows the Board to prorate licensing fees for retired physicians returning to practice.

· Permits the Board to cancel a license if the licensee requests cancellation and is not under investigation or admits to violations of an open investigation on record.

· Changes the language “informal interview” to “formal interview” to more accurately reflect the Board’s disciplinary review process.

· Removes references to obsolete registration.

· Adds the word “formal” to word “hearing” to more accurately describe formal hearings conducted by the Office of Administrative Hearings.

· Allows the Board to subpoena medical records from licensees during investigations.

· Allows the Board to subpoena witnesses for attendance and testimony. Establishes provision for the court to be able to overturn subpoenas.

· Designates patient records, physician-patient communication, investigative information and patient identify as confidential.

· Expands definition of unlawful acts to include the issuing of naturopathic medical degrees, diplomas or certificates without a Board certification.

· Makes an unlawful act to engage in a postgraduate training program or use the title with the use “naturopathic” without certification by the Board.

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· 44th Legislature

· Second Regular Session 2 January 12, 2001

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