Panel to Probe Alleged Illegal Health Clinics
In response to a television report about illegal storefront health clinics operating in the San Fernando Valley and elsewhere, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has voted to convene a task force on the matter.
For the television news story, shown on KCBS-TV Channel 2 on Monday night, reporters posing as patients complaining of coughs and other mild symptoms visited several such clinics and were prescribed antibiotics and other remedies. The station checked with state medical regulators and learned that neither the clinics nor the doctors who worked there held valid medical licenses.
The county does not appear to have legal jurisdiction over private medical clinics, which are licensed by the state. Nonetheless, the supervisors voted to attempt to eliminate them.
County Supervisor Gloria Molina suggested that the district attorney might be able to investigate such operations with regard to laws against fraud.
“We can’t just go around saying it’s not our job,” said Molina, who sponsored the motion to create a task force. “The reality is that we’re responsible for health care in Los Angeles County.”
As envisioned by the supervisors, the task force will include representatives of the California Healthcare Assn., the California Medical Assn., the district attorney and several state and county departments.
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