OIG

theresa10691 · Dec 21, 2013

I have a similar situation but only I surrendered my LVN lic for a DUI. I already was licensed as an RN ans that made it seem it would not do anything. Now I am in the suspended/ineligibility list with medi-cal. However, is currently working as an RN. I am now starting probation with the BRN and they want another live scan as part of my probation. I do not know it this will show up on my criminal background check and will it harm me by working with my active RN lic. at a Federal funded facility? I am currently working with the LVN board to reinstate afterwards i will contact the medi-cal list and try to be removed.

adm6290 · May 18, 2014

Although I see that this is an old post, I wanted to comment because this issue will continue to come up. First I wanted to reply to what foraneman said above. Although it is possible this is not intended to be punitive in the beginning that is what it is turned out to be. Not having a license should keep you from working as a nurse you do not need the added layer of being on this federal "BlackList" on top of that. Implications on being on this list are incredible. I learned firsthand after having a job offer being rescinded to work at an insurance company. Two years later I was working as a surgical sales representative and lost my job because of being on this list. Even though we did not accept Medicare /Medicaid payment and I wasn't working as a nurse. Luckily I was doing such a good job that they gave me a few months to get a lawyer to work to get off this list. Don't even bother going through the boards, they will have you believe that the only way to get out this list is to get your license back. If you're like me I had moved past working as a nurse but still wanted to continue to work in healthcare and some capacity. But for a while I was told the only way was to work to get my license back and then petition the OIG for removal. Why should I be forced to get a license back to get off the list that I shouldn't have been on in the first place? I never had legal action taken against me. I never defrauded the government. I have a disease. I can think of no other illness were people would allow the folks that suffer from an illness to be placed on a list that effectively bars them from working in an entire industry. It is draconian.

I hope that sometime in the future someone will be willing to examine this and quit allowing drug addicts and alcoholics to be placed on such a horrible list simply because no one really cares about this illness. Addicts and alcoholics make up the majority of this list. This was not the original intent of this list to begin with, but the addition of alcoholics and addicts with disciplinary action helps them justify the list and say "look how good were doing, look how many bad people we have caught"

they do not tell you about this when you are going through disciplinary hearings, the first I heard of it was a letter, months after the fact and I did not understand the ramifications at the time.

if you are on it and can afford to, get a lawyer. You will have a hard time finding one that knows much about this but they are out there. You can get off the list even if you do not have your license back, I did. If you can't afford a lawyer, harass your congressman. Do NOT expect your board or a representative of your board to help, they are In on this scam.

i would very much like to see a class action lawsuit brought up on behalf of those of us who are ill and have had such negative ramifications in our life AFTER finding sobriety because of this list. Let's get this list back to the spirit in which it was intended (people who defrauded the government) and away from targeting the ill!

adm6290 · May 18, 2014

I see this is an old post, but I agree with you. I too reached out to the ACLU, and they could not have cared less. I suppose our "class" is not as interesting as other illnesses or minorities. You summarized exactly what I have been saying. With the thousands of us that have been affected by this, it is insane that no one will bother to examine how grossly this list has moved from its intent and effectively become a published list of health care providers who suffer from addiction. (90% of the list) not only can you not work as a nurse, you can't work in a doctors office as a secretary or a hospital as a freaking janitor. You can't work for companies who peripherally work with healthcare as suppliers. Basically anything that a healthcare professional would have the experience to do.

i finally got off the list with a really good lawyer, but the damage it caused for years is still there AND I lost any anonymity that a recovering person should be afforded by this very public list

RNMSN51 · May 18, 2014

I don't mean to ask a probably redundant question but what is this list and how do you find out if your on it?

Twoyearnurse · May 18, 2014

Google "oig exclusion list" type your name in.

LisaB19 · May 18, 2014

Does anyone know if there seems to be a general length of time before you appear on the list? It's been 7 years since I was reported to the BRN and 2 years since my license was suspended. No longer going to work in nursing, but in the Addictions field ( CA does not require licensure ). Anything I can do proactively or anyway I can be prepared if I suddenly appear on it??

also for those who have gotten off the list is there anything that I can do proactively now in case I eventually appear on it? Any data I should be gathering just in case??

adm6290 · May 19, 2014

I am surprised you are not on it. Count your blessings! Just keep an eye on the mail in case something comes from the oig so you can contest it up front