A Kansas doctor’s medical license was revoked on Friday over allegations that she did not provide adequate mental health exams on patients she referred to the late Dr. George Tiller for late abortions. A judge ordered the license of the doctor, Ann Kristin Neuhaus, be revoked in February, and the decision was sent to the State Board of Healing Arts for review. The Board accepted the judge’s decision on Friday, agreeing that in 2003, Dr. Neuhaus failed to provide adequate mental health exams on 11 patients between the ages of 10 and 18. Dr. Neuhaus said she will ask a state court to overturn the decision.
Dr. Neuhaus maintains that she provided proper exams, and critics of the decision have said that the investigation and subsequent ruling were the result of anti-abortion sentiments. After the board’s decision was released, Dr. Neuhaus said, “It’s all about abortion rights, absolutely. If this wasn’t in the Bible Belt, I think this wouldn’t even be happening.” A former employee of Dr. Tiller agreed, saying, “It has nothing to with protecting women and everything to do with making abortion inaccessible.”
The original complaint was filed by an Operation Rescue staffer in 2006 with the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. Operation Rescue staff have filed medical board complaints against a number of abortion doctors across the country, including the late Dr. George Tiller and Dr. Lee Carhart.
AP 6/22/12; CBS News 6/22/12; Feminist Daily Newswire 2/29/12
