Government
Suspension, fine for Medicare official
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 20, 2005
Sean R. Tunis, MD, the chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has agreed to a temporary suspension of his medical license and a fine for falsifying documentation of his continuing medical education credits.
The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended Dr. Tunis for a minimum of one year and fined him $20,000. The license can be reinstated only if he completes the 35.25 hours of CME that he lacked when renewing his license in 2001 and if he agrees to a two-year probation period after reinstatement.
CMS would not immediately say whether Dr. Tunis would remain chief medical officer at the agency. He has been on paid administrative leave since April.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/06/20/gvbf0620.htm.