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News Release — May 15, 2007
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
May 15, 2007
Medical Board of California Accusation
Leads to Surrender of Chatsworth Physician's License
SACRAMENTO—Facing an Accusation of unprofessional conduct by the Medical Board of California, and a criminal probation violation hearing, Chatsworth physician Laurie Fenete Magbanua has surrendered her medical license. The stipulated surrender of her license was accepted by the board on May 7, 2007 and became effective on May 14, 2007. Medical Board Executive Director Dave Thornton stated, "The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers. We work diligently to achieve our mission by vigorously enforcing the Medical Practice Act."
On March 28, 2006, in the case entitled The People of the State of California v. Laurie Fenete Magbanua, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BA286919, Magbanua was found guilty of violating one felony count of Penal Code section 550(a)(1) (presenting false/fraudulent claim for payment), and one felony count of Penal Code section 550(a)(5) (submitting false insurance claim). As a result, Magbanua was placed on formal probation for five years under the following terms and conditions: serve 365 days in the Los Angeles County Jail, which time may be served in the Los Angeles County Probation Department by an electronic monitoring program; pay restitution in the amount of $45,000 to the Department of Insurance and $4,983 to Safeway Insurance; obey all laws and orders of the court; and submit to a search at any time. In addition, as part of the plea disposition, Magbanua's medical license was suspended effective March 28, 2006, for the duration of her five-year probation.
An investigation by the California Department of Insurance Fraud Division revealed that Magbanua had been practicing medicine after being sentenced to probation from May 2006 to February 2007, in direct violation of her criminal probation. On April 9, 2007, Magbanua appeared with her counsel before the Honorable C.H. Rehm of the Superior Court of Los Angeles, to address her violation of her criminal probation. Appearing on behalf of the Medical Board of California was Deputy Attorney General Esther P. Kim, who argued that the court should restrict her from practicing medicine. Faced with these charges and an Accusation filed by the Medical Board of California, Magbanua surrendered her medical license.
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The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions and through the vigorous, objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act.
If you have a question or complaint about the healthcare you are receiving, the board encourages you to visit its Web site at www.mbc.ca.gov or for questions call the Consumer Information Line at (916) 263-2382, or with complaints call (800) 633-2322.
For up-to-date information on board activities, please join our "Subscribers' List" at www.mbc.ca.gov/subscribers.htm.
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