A state senate panel is going over the books of Oklahoma’s nonappropriated agencies this week.
The Oklahoma Medical Board is among the agencies with budgets made up of fees they charge — licenses in the medical board’s case. Director Lyle Kelsey said that’s been enough so far.
"We try to operate it as a business would. We try to spend less than we make so that we do have some in reserves," Kelsey said. "We carry enough for lawsuits and legal actions and prosecutions, hiring of doctors to be expert witnesses and so on."
While the agency seems to be in good shape budget-wise, investigating complaints against doctors can get expensive.
"Most physicians that may get brought up in front of the board are high-profile, very well-to-do in many aspects, and so they often hire attorneys and so it's a very costly process, much like court actions are," Kelsey said.
The medical board grants licenses for 13 health professions besides doctors, including a new music therapist license. Fees are enough to keep doing what the medical board does, but no more.
"Last year with the budget hole, we had to look for a significant place to cut, and so we cut a program that we had set money aside to accomplish," Kelsey said.
Nonappropriated agency budgets were a target of Gov. Mary Fallin’s revenue enhancement proposals to address fiscal year 2017’s $1.3 budget shortfall.
Kelsey said the medical board hasn’t raised its fees in around 25 years.
