Sen. John Milkovich’s close on his “physician’s bill of rights” draws sharp rebukes from many of his House colleagues and leads to attorney Jack Stolier being escorted out of the meeting.

Louisiana State Sen. John Milkovich, D-Shreveport

At the Louisiana House Committee on Health and Welfare meeting of Wednesday, May 2, 2018, Louisiana State Sen. John Milkovich presented his physician’s bill of rights.  Video highlights of that event follow:

Milkovich’s heated closing, which led to numerous rebukes by House Committee members and to the ouster (not captured on video) of New Orleans attorney Jack Stolier, who, according to one source in attendance, charged directly at Sen. Milkovich upon him having uttered that Stolier engaged in an affair with the director of investigations of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

As is obvious from the preceding video, though Stolier was unable to reach Milkovich, it didn’t stop him from yelling several times to Milkovich that “you’re a bald face liar” regarding statements Milkovich made entailing the alleged affair.

Regarding the preceding statements by Milkovich entailing Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera not being provided with access to the investigative files of the Board, that was an interesting point of contention during the meeting as evidenced by the following video clip:

Testimony about the degree, if any, that Purpera has been afforded an opportunity to examine the Board’s investigative files.

Soon after Sen. Gerald Long, R-Winnfield, provided support for Milkovich’s bill, Dr. Greg Stephens provided testimony indicating that he had been railroaded by the Board and that Dr. David Hammond, Medical Director of the Healthcare Professionals’ Foundation of Louisiana, had essentially told him to just suck it up and take it “because you have no due process rights with the Medical Board.”  Hammond, while acknowledging his conversations with Stephens did take place, stated that Stephens was taking his comments “out of context” and presenting them “in a manner that I don’t believe is accurate.”

Sen. Long provides support for Milkovich’s bill, followed by Stephens testifying to his alleged railroading by the Board with Hammond, to some extent, refuting that testimony.

Stephens was accused of not properly safeguarding pre-signed prescription pads and prescribing to family members without adequate documentation in their medical records.  He was also cited for “performing a minor office procedure on a patient in the clinic without appropriately documenting such in the medical record or assuring that the office was able to comply with requirements for any untoward complications.”  He is no longer allowed to practice in Louisiana; however, he is practicing in Arkansas.

There can be perhaps no more public and vocal protestor of the Louisiana Medical Board than Dr. Arnold Feldman, who has directly accused Dr. Michael Burdine, a former direct competitor of his and a former member of the Medical Board, of “conducting an organized campaign to eliminate me, his key competition in Baton Rouge, by having my medical license revoked and shutting me down.”  Dr. Feldman’s testimony, in its entirety, follows:

Dr. Arnold Feldman’s testimony entailing the Louisiana Medical Board’s investigative tactics, along with that of his wife and a former employee whom Feldman insists that he was forced to terminate or face an immediate suspension of his medical license.

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