Existing law authorizes the Board of Medical Examiners to impose upon a person a fine not to exceed $5,000 for each violation committed by the person that constitutes grounds for disciplinary action against the person. (NRS 630.352) Existing law additionally requires that all money received by the Board from penalties be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the State General Fund. (NRS 630.110) Section 1 of this bill requires that all money from penalties be credited to an account in the State Treasury, selected by the State Treasurer and requires that the money in the account be used to support the improvement of health care or the practice of medicine in this State. Section 5.5 of this bill increases the maximum amount of the fine that the Board is authorized to impose for a violation that constitutes grounds for disciplinary action to $10,000 for each such violation. Existing law requires the holder of a license to practice medicine to submit a registration fee and certain information to the Board on or before June 30, or if June 30 is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, on the next business day after June 30, of each odd-numbered year. Existing law requires the Board to make reasonable attempts to notify a licensee: (1) at least once that the fee for biennial registration and the required information are due; and (2) that his or her license has expired. Existing law requires the Board to send a copy of such notice to the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States Department of Justice. (NRS 630.267) Section 1.5 of this bill requires the Board to provide notice to the holder of a license to practice medicine at least 60 days before the scheduled expiration of the license: (1) that the fees and required information are due; and (2) of the date on which the license is scheduled to expire. After such a license expires, section 1.5 requires the Board to make reasonable attempts to notify the licensee of the expiration. Section 1.5 also removes the requirement for the Board to provide a copy of each notice to the Drug Enforcement Administration and instead requires the Board to provide a list of expired licenses to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the State Board of Pharmacy. Existing law requires a physician and the insurer of a physician to report to the Board any: (1) action for malpractice against the physician; (2) claim for malpractice against the physician that is submitted to arbitration or mediation; or (3) settlement, award, judgment or other disposition of such an action or claim. (NRS 630.3067, 630.3068) Existing law additionally requires a physician to report to the Board any sanctions imposed against the physician that are reportable to the National Practitioner Data Bank. (NRS 630.3068) Existing law authorizes the imposition of an administrative penalty against an insurer or physician that fails to report the required information. (NRS 630.3067, 630.3068) After receiving a report from an insurer or physician indicating that a judgment has been rendered or that such an action or claim has been resolved by settlement, existing law requires the Board to conduct an investigation to determine whether to impose disciplinary action against the physician, unless such an investigation has already commenced or been completed. (NRS 630.3069) Upon receiving such a report or determining that the conduct of a physician has raised a reasonable question as to his or her competence to practice medicine, existing law authorizes the Board to order the physician to undergo certain examinations to determine the fitness of the physician to practice medicine. (NRS 630.318) Sections 2-5 of this bill make those provisions additionally applicable to physician assistants, practitioners of respiratory care and perfusionists.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 630.267, 630.3067, 630.3068, 630.3069, 630.318
Reprint 1: 630.110, 630.267, 630.3067, 630.3068, 630.3069, 630.318, 630.352
As Enrolled: 630.110, 630.267, 630.3067, 630.3068, 630.3069, 630.318, 630.352
BDR: 630.267, 630.3067, 630.3068, 630.3069, 630.318