Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger Explains Licensing Threats for Chiropractors

Chiropractors are a highly-trained and highly-respected members of the medical community. The key to practicing as a chiropractor is your state-issued chiropractic license. For a variety of reasons, patients sometimes make false claims of misconduct against chiropractors; other times, unfortunately, chiropractors engage in misconduct themselves. Either way, aggressive, experienced licensing counsel is critical to defending your license and livelihood from a suspension or revocation. I wrote the following post to outline why discipline could occur and what you should do if an allegation arises.

If you are licensed medical professional in Kansas or Missouri facing an investigation, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation. Your career is at risk, and you cannot work your way through this alone.

The Most Common Accusations Against Chiropractors in Kansas and Missouri

I have years of experience in front of both the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts and the Missouri Board of Chiropractic Examiners. These two agencies see many different allegations, but they commonly fall into the following categories:

Sexual misconduct—sexually abusing a patient or having a consensual relationship with a patient are both common misconduct claims against chiropractors. This is particularly a problem in this field, as the work involves touching patients, often in a private or mostly-private setting.

Fraud—insurance fraud, over-billing, and charging for procedures that were not performed are all frequent allegations. Given the complexity of medical billing and the difficulty in finding qualified and trained staff, recurring mistakes made by staff can too easily be construed as an act of fraud by a chiropractor.

Prescription Medications—Over-prescribing medications and providing prescription medication to those who do not medically require them are both increasingly prevalent complaints against chiropractors.  There is increased scrutiny on all medical professionals with prescription privileges due to the opioid epidemic in both Kansas and Missouri.

Negligence—Negligence is defined as a failure to meet the standard of care reasonably expected under the circumstances. Not all patients’ conditions improve after receiving chiropractic care, and patients sometimes wrongly blame their chiropractors for any decline.

Criminal Convictions—Convictions for some crimes may result in a collateral license action, especially if the offense suggests that the chiropractor may have a drug or alcohol problem, cannot safely interact with the public, or cannot be trusted with money or confidential information.

Can the State of Missouri or Kansas Just Take Your License?

No. Your chiropractic license is your property. The United States Constitution’s Fifth Amendment guarantees that the government cannot deprive you of life, liberty, or property without due process. But what does “due process” mean? While in a criminal trial you have a right to a jury and other elaborate processes, a license action only requires a hearing before an administrative hearing officer or board. In this context, due process means that the state must afford you notice of all the allegations against you, an opportunity to prevent your defense to a hearing officer or board, and consideration of your position. But make no mistake, an administrative hearing is just as contentious as a criminal trial, and your career hangs in the balance.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

Any medical provider or clinic in Kansas or Missouri contacted by a state investigator or licensing board should contact experienced counsel immediately. Your business and license to practice are in jeopardy, and these initial moments are crucial. You have no obligation to speak to anyone without counsel present, and talking to an investigator without counsel may be a fatal error. Contacting an experienced licensing attorney to help you through this process and can mean the difference between getting back to helping your patients and a license suspension or revocation.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend you. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with licensing issues.

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