If you’re a physician and you agree to put yourself on probation rather than go to a hearing where you might lose your license, bare in mind that the HMOs you work for may decide that that is a strike against your license, a limitation on your license, and therefore they will remove you as a qualified provider. This may actually end up in you not having any patients walk through the front door because you’re not on any HMO list. This, of course, basically puts you out of practice, even though you have a valid license. The same thing can happen with Medicare and/or Medicaid.
Before you agree to go on probation, as opposed to going to a hearing, check with your HMOs. Ask them, “What will happen in this case, if I agree to this?” Tell them what the situation is. If you’re convinced that you will be left without any real practice, even though you have a license, then you might decide, “I’m going to go on with the hearing,” even though that might end up in the revocation of your license. These are decisions not to be taken lightly.
This informational blog post was brought to you by Paul E. Walker, an experienced New York Medical Malpractice Defense Lawyer.
