WP: Ethics Panel Finds Conflict With Senator's Job as Physician

[kskiska]

Wednesday, April 6, 2005; Page A05

For years, Republican Tom Coburn juggled his duties as a House member and a family physician back in Oklahoma, where he delivered dozens of babies annually.

But since winning a Senate seat last fall, Coburn has clashed with Senate ethics committee members over whether he could continue to do double duty as a lawmaker and an obstetrician. Now, Coburn says, the ethics committee has ruled that his private practice constitutes a potential conflict of interest with his work in Washington, and it has given him until Sept. 30 to close his office in Muskogee, Okla. An outraged Coburn is vowing to fight the ruling, arguing that the panel's decision contradicts the Founding Fathers' desire for lawmakers to retain ties to their communities.

In an interview yesterday, he vowed to seek the backing of sympathetic grass-roots groups to try to persuade the panel to alter Senate rules and open the way for doctors in the Senate to see patients for pay.

"My hope," he said, "is to get a rules change that will allow me to continue to practice medicine."

Coburn and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) are the only senators who are physicians. For nearly two decades, Senate rules have barred members from holding outside professional jobs, such as those as lawyers, real estate agents and physicians, for fear that such services -- and compensation for those services -- might conflict with their role as policymakers. The Senate panel refused Coburn's request to grant him a special exception once he closes his business.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28320-2005Apr5.html

[Erika]

1. The D.C. pay schedule assumes the taxpayer

will be paying for a full time lawmaker.

[Auntie Bush]

2. No problem...Just change the rules he doesn't like. Isn't that what

they always do? :shrug:

[democracyindanger]

3. Umm...shouldn't the Senate be a full-time job anyway?

[Indykatie]

6. Resign

Not from his practice but the Senate is an option he should consider if he wants to continue "practicing his love on women as * put it.

[Stand and Fight]

4. D'oh!

This idiot is one of my senators! I voted for the other guy though, but the Oklahomans -- I've only lived here two years -- decided on the moron.

[UpInArms]

5. wonder if Coburn's patients are illiterate

because I sure wouldn't want this guy to be my "physician"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21673-2004Sep14.html

Okla. Senate Candidate Is Accused of Fraud

TULSA, Sept. 14 -- One of the most competitive Senate races in the country turned nasty this week, as former GOP congressman and obstetrician Tom Coburn has had to respond to published reports that he committed Medicaid fraud 14 years ago.

The allegation stems from a medical malpractice suit brought by a 20-year-old woman who said that Coburn, without her permission, removed one of her fallopian tubes, which left her sterilized. The case never went to trial, but court documents first reported this week by Salon.com show that Coburn withheld information about the sterilization in submitting a bill to Medicaid for a related procedure involving a troubled pregnancy because the Medicaid program does not cover the sterilization of anyone younger than 21. Coburn said he withheld the information to ensure the woman was reimbursed for the cost of removing the other fallopian tube in which a fetus was lodged.

In an interview yesterday, Coburn denied that he had committed fraud or malpractice and accused his Democratic opponent, Rep. Brad Carson, of leaking the details of the case to the "liberal" Internet publication.

"This whole thing smells," Coburn said. "It's a coordinated effort to undermine my character. You are going to see this race change in the next 10 days. I am going to fight for my reputation."

...more...

[Erika]

7. He steralized a patient without her knowledge?

Republicans really do think they are God.