{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-312.150","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 312.150","heading":"Charges against licensee -- Grounds -- Disciplinary proceedings --","body":"Opportunity for hearing required -- Penalty for sexual contact with patient.\n(1) Charges may be preferred by the board against the holder of a license to practice\nchiropractic in this state on any of the following grounds:\n(a) That fraud, misrepresentation, concealment of material facts, or deceit was\nused in obtaining or retaining the license;\n(b) That the licensee no longer possesses a good moral character;\n(c) That the license e has been convicted of a felony or violation of any law\ninvolving moral turpitude;\n(d) That the licensee solicits or advises patients utilizing false, deceptive, or\nmisleading statements or information;\n(e) That the licensee is impaired by drugs or alcoho l to the extent that it may\naffect the health, welfare, or safety of patients;\n(f) That the licensee is in any way guilty of any deception, misrepresentation,\nfraud, or unethical conduct in the practice of chiropractic;\n(g) That the licensee has:\n1. Violated:\na. Any of the provisions of this chapter, or any of the administrative\nregulations of the board; or\nb. KRS 304.39-215; or\n2. Engaged in conduct that is subject to the penalties under KRS 304.99 -\n060(4) or (5);\n(h) That the licensee failed to attend and complete annual continuing chiropractic\neducation courses as provided in KRS 312.175;\n(i) That the licensee failed to provide a complete copy of the patient's medical\nrecords or an itemized statement to the patient upon request, pursuant to KRS\n422.317, within ten (10) business days; or\n(j) That the chiropractor failed to provide notice of a change in address or change\nin the name and address of the facility where the chiropractor practices as\nrequired by KRS 312.145(4).\n(2) Unprofessional conduct shall include any departure or the failure to conform to the\nminimal standards of acceptable chiropractic practice or the willful or careless\ndisregard for the health, welfare, or safety of patients, in any of which cases proof of\nactual injury need not be established. Unprofessional conduct shall include, but not\nbe limited to, the following acts of a chiropractor:\n(a) Gross ignorance of, or incompetence in, the practice of chiropractic;\n(b) Performing unnecessary services;\n(c) Charging a patient an unconscionable fee or charging for services not\nrendered;\n(d) Directly or indirectly engaging in threatening, dishonest, or misleading fee\ncollection techniques, including having patients enter into a contract for a\ncourse of treatment;\n(e) Perpetrating fraud upon patients, third -party payors, or others, relating to the\npractice of chiropractic, including violations of the federal Medicaid and\nMedicare laws;\n(f) Advertising that the licensee shall accept for services rendered assigned\npayments from any third-party payor as payment in full, if the effect is to give\nthe impression of eliminating the need for payment by the patient of any\nrequired deductible or copayment applicable in the patient's health benefit\nplan; or advertising a fee or charge for a servi ce or treatment different from\nthe fee or charge the licensee submits to a third -party payor for that service of\ntreatment. The licensee shall attach to any claim form submitted to any third -\nparty payor a copy of any coupon or a summary of the terms of any  discount\ngiven;\n(g) Accepting for services rendered assigned payments from any third-party payor\nas payment in full, if the effect is to eliminate the need for payment by the\npatient of any required deductible or copayment applicable in the patient's\nhealth benefit plan, or collecting a fee or charge the licensee submits to a\nthird-party payor for that service or treatment. However, in instances where\nthe intent is not to collect excessive remuneration from a third -party payor but\nrather to provide service s at a reduced rate to a patient unable to afford the\ndeductible or copayment, the services may be performed for a lesser charge or\nfee. The third -party payor shall be informed by the licensee of the reduced\ncharge; or\n(h) Conviction of a misdemeanor offen se under KRS Chapter 510 involving a\npatient while the patient was under the care of the chiropractor, or a felony\noffense under KRS Chapter 510, 530.064(1)(a), or 531.310, or the\nchiropractor having been found by the board to have had sexual contact as\ndefined in KRS 510.010 with a patient while the patient was under the care of\nthe chiropractor.\n(3) Upon receipt and due consideration of any charges, the board upon an affirmative\nvote shall determine whether the nature and quality of the charges are such t hat\nfurther investigation or initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the charged\nlicensee is indicated. If disciplinary proceedings are not warranted, the charges shall\nbe dismissed with or without prejudice. If the board determines that disciplinar y\nproceedings are appropriate, the case may be resolved informally by agreed order or\nset for hearing to be conducted in accordance with KRS Chapter 13B.\n(4) Except for revocation for nonrenewal, no license shall be revoked or suspended\nwithout an opportun ity for a hearing. The board may at any time proceed against a\nlicensee on its own initiative either on the basis of information contained in its own\nrecords or on the basis of information obtained through its informal investigation.\n(5) If the board substantiates that sexual contact occurred between the chiropractor and\na patient while the patient was under the care of or in a professional relationship\nwith the chiropractor, the chiropractor's license may be revoked or suspended with\nmandatory treatment of the chiropractor as prescribed by the board. The board may\nrequire the chiropractor to pay a specified amount for mental health services for the\npatient which are needed as a result of the sexual contact.","path":["KRS Chapter 312"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49059","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:58:08Z","sha256":"dcabf908a34b04a8894967c8cffad71c4e1acc410aeae520038dd6a738f5f107","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-312.145","next":"us-ky/krs-312.152"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}