Tyranny at the Texas Medical Board: Dr. William Rea under attack by Oxford throu

[Guest guest]

Dr Rea is an internationally recognized specialist in enviromental

illnesses among other things. His patients love him as he truly cares and not

only

tries to get them healthy, but succeeds.

blessings

Shan

 

Tyranny at the Texas Medical Board

Editorial for the Houston Community Newspapers

Steven F. Hotze, MD

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

 

 

08/06/2007

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. Keith Miller, 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. Miller 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. Miller who presided over the Informal

Hearing Settlement of Dr. William 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. Miller 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. Steven 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

 

1. Today, contact Dr. Don Patrick, 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 Patrick.

 

Roberta.kalafut

Lawrence.anderson,

Michael.arambula

Julie.attebury

jose.benavides

patricia.blackwell

Melinda.fredricks

Manuel.Guajardo

Amanullah.khan

Melinda.mcmichael

Margaret.mcneese

keith.miller

charles.oswalt

larry.price

Annette.raggette

paulette.southard

Timothy.turner

Timothy.webb

Irvin.zeitler

 

Communicate to him that

a) the anonymous complaint against Dr. Bill Rea should be dismissed,

b) 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.

 

2. Today, contact Texas Senator Jane Nelson, 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 Nelson 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,

b) 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.