Tyranny at the Texas Medical Board

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Tyranny at the Texas Medical Board

*Editorial for the Houston Community Newspapers

F. Hotze, MD

08/05/2007

http://www.projectfans.org/editorial2.cfm

The Texas Medical Board (TMB) is denying physicians the

constitutional right of due process, destroying their lives and the

lives of the patients who rely upon them for care.

Communist regimes intimidate and silence individuals by using Star

Chamber tactics cloaked in secrecy. The accusers and witnesses are

anonymous, and the decisions are predetermined. This is the way the

TMB investigates physicians.

The TMB allows anonymous complaints by insurance companies. These

anonymous complaints target physicians who oppose the insurance

companies' " standards of care " which limit treatment options, deny

claims and increase insurance company profits. The TMB then destroys

the physicians whom the insurance companies have targeted. This is

meant to teach a lesson to any physician who would dare challenge

the insurance companies' policies on patient care.

It is unconscionable that the TMB would be working to advance the

insurance companies' agenda at the expense of the patient-doctor

relationship.

Dr. , a member of the TMB's Executive, Finance and

Public Information Committees, also served for Blue Cross-Blue

Shield on the Texas Medical Advisory Committee, which is adversarial

to physicians who care more about their patients than insurance

company profits. This is clearly a conflict of interest.

Dr. is described by physicians and attorneys who have

appeared before him as arrogant, abusive and disdainful of the

patients of the physicians over whom he sits in judgment. It was Dr.

who presided over the Informal Hearing Settlement of Dr.

Rea.

Dr. Rea is a board certified cardiovascular surgeon who established

the Environmental Health Center in Dallas, Texas in 1974. Dr. Rea

provides innovative treatment to patients plagued with environmental

illnesses stemming from exposure and adverse reactions to chemical

toxins and allergens. He has published over 135 medical journal

articles and has written the definitive textbook on chemical

sensitivity. Since 1974 he has served over 30,000 patients from

around the world.

On October 3, 2005 Dr. Rea was informed by the TMB that an anonymous

complaint had been filed against him for his treatment of five

patients, all living in Manhattan and all covered by Oxford Medical

Insurance. It became obvious that Oxford, an out-of-state insurer,

filed the anonymous complaint to shut down Dr. Rea so that it didn't

have to reimburse his patients.

When Dr. Rea's patients were informed about the anonymous complaint,

they were appalled. Each wrote letters to the TMB praising Dr. Rea's

treatment. Two of the patients credited him with saving their lives.

As in other cases, the TMB completely disregarded the patients'

testimony.

Why is the TMB doing the dirty work for a New York insurance company?

Dr. Rea presented written exoneration for his care of these patients

from 18 physicians in his field. The TMB's anonymous " expert " , who

served as its paid hired gun and who was ignorant of environmental

medicine, condemned Dr. Rea's treatment of these five patients.

That's 18 experts for Dr. Rea and 1 anonymous non-expert against

him.

The TMB attorney, Mark Martyn, told Dr. Rea's attorney, Steve Coke,

that it did not matter what evidence Dr. Rea presented in his own

behalf, " we're going to get his license. " At the Informal Settlement

Conference hearing on January 19, 2007, lasting less than one hour,

Dr. refused to consider Dr. Rea's extensive rebuttal

documents and told him that he would make sure that his license was

revoked.

This is the typical insurance company justice that is executed by

unelected officials at the TMB in their sham reviews of physicians.

This creates an intimidating and oppressive atmosphere for

physicians in Texas, discouraging medical innovation and fostering

mediocrity in patient care. This is all paid for with your tax

dollars.

Texans deserve better. It is time for the Texas Senate to

investigate the undue influence which insurance companies have on

the Texas Medical Board's evaluation of physicians. Anonymous

complaints, anonymous witnesses and sham reviews must be eliminated.

Dr. Hotze is the founder of the Hotze Health & Wellness

Center in Houston, Texas.

Actions You Can Take Today to Protect Your Patient-Doctor

Relationship from the Insurance Companies and Their Agents on

theTexas Medical Board

The Texas Medical Board is made up of 19 unelected members who are

appointed by the governor. Their activities are poorly monitored.

This is the first organized action to protest the TMB's

unconstitutional and un-American actions which deny due process to

physicians. The TMB is targeting physicians who oppose the insurance

companies' standards of care which limit treatment options, deny

claims and increase insurance companies' profits. It is

unconscionable that the TMB would be working for the insurance

companies' agenda at the expense of the patient-doctor relationship

Today, contact Dr. Don , Executive Director of the Texas

Medical Board at 512.305.7010 and by e-mail at

donald.patrick@... and copy all the TMB members below.

Cut and paste their e-mail addresses in the CC: of your e-mail to

Dr. Don .

a.kalafut@...

Lawrence.anderson@...,

.arambula@...

.attebury@...

jose.benavides@...

patricia.blackwell@...

Melinda.fredricks@...

.Guajardo@...

Amanullah.khan@...

Melinda.mcmichael@...

Margaret.mcneese@...

keith.miller@...

charles.oswalt@...

larry.price@...

Annette.raggette@...

paulette.southard@...

.turner@...

.webb@...

Irvin.zeitler@...

Communicate to him that a) the anonymous complaint against Dr. Bill

Rea should be dismissed, the TMB should prohibit anonymous

complaints, anonymous witnesses and sham reviews of physicians, and

c) you oppose the influence which insurance companies have on the

actions of the TMB.

Today, contact Texas Senator Jane , Chair of the Senate Health

and Human Services Committee, at 512.463.0112 and by e-mail,

jane.nelson@....

You should also contact your Texas State Representative and State

Senator by going to www.projectfans.org and entering your zip code.

This website will give you the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of

your legislators in Austin.

Ask Senator to convene a Special Senate Hearing to

investigate the actions of the Texas Medical Board.

Communicate to them that a) the anonymous complaint against Dr. Bill

Rea should be dismissed, the TMB should prohibit anonymous

complaints, anonymous witnesses and sham reviews of physicians, and

c) you oppose the influence which insurance companies have on the

actions of the TMB.

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