Conviction: Controlled Substance
Open-data reference.
Convicted of a felony relating to the unlawful manufacture, distribution, prescription, or dispensing of a controlled substance.
Recent Exclusions
| Name | State | Category | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRETCHEN NICOLE DUNN | IA | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| OPHELIA CHIDINMA EMEAKOROHA | FL | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| AMBER MARIE HERZMANN | IL | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| THOMAS BEBELL KELLY | IA | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| WAYNE LEE MUILENBURG | SD | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| DESTINY CHARLEAN SANTUCCI | IN | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| DIANE K SCHULTZ | MI | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| NATHANIEL GERARD STIMPSON | IN | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| BRYAN PAUL VANDER LINDEN | IA | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-03-19 |
| MAYRA BARRIOS | CA | Healthcare Employee | 2026-02-19 |
| STEPHANIE ANNE CAFFEY | TX | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-02-19 |
| MEGAN ELSBURY | IA | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-02-19 |
| CATHERINE VICTORIA ROGERS | OK | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-02-19 |
| JACQUELINE MARIE SINKES | FL | Licensed Healthcare Professional | 2026-02-19 |
| CHARISE VALENTINE | TX | Physician | 2026-02-19 |
Conviction: Controlled Substance by State
Actual exclusion counts from HHS OIG LEIE database by state.
Source: HHS Office of Inspector General — List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE) HHS Office of Inspector General — List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE)
What the Conviction: Controlled Substance Numbers Reveal
The conviction: controlled substance category currently accounts for 3,528 federal healthcare exclusions — roughly 25.5% of all active OIG LEIE entries. Exclusions under this category span 52 U.S. states, meaning licensing discipline in this specific action type is not concentrated in a single jurisdiction. Florida records the highest concentration with 459 excluded providers, while Texas follows with 381. Because this data comes directly from the HHS Office of Inspector General's monthly LEIE file, every entry reflects a formal federal debarment — not a pending allegation.
Convicted of a felony relating to the unlawful manufacture, distribution, prescription, or dispensing of a controlled substance. Patterns like this matter because healthcare organizations are legally required to screen employees, contractors, and referring providers against the LEIE before hiring and on an ongoing basis. A single billing interaction involving an excluded provider under the conviction: controlled substance category can trigger civil monetary penalties of up to $100,000 per item or service furnished, plus treble damages. The 3,528 individuals and entities currently flagged represent an active compliance exposure for every hospital, clinic, pharmacy, and insurer operating in the affected states.
For patients and families, the state-by-state breakdown above is a starting point for verification — not a substitute for it. Exclusion status can change monthly as providers are added, reinstated, or moved between action categories. Before choosing a provider, always cross-check the current OIG LEIE at oig.hhs.gov and the relevant state medical board's public license verification tool. Because conviction: controlled substance exclusions carry federal weight, they typically persist across state lines even if a provider relocates, making the LEIE the single most official source for confirming eligibility to receive Medicare, Medicaid, or TRICARE payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a conviction: controlled substance exclusion?
Conviction: Controlled Substance is a type of exclusion action taken by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) under federal law. When a healthcare provider receives this exclusion, they are barred from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal healthcare programs. There are currently 3,528 conviction: controlled substance exclusions across all U.S. states. Convicted of a felony relating to the unlawful manufacture, distribution, prescription, or dispensing of a controlled substance.
What is the impact on healthcare providers?
When a provider is excluded under the conviction: controlled substance category, no federal healthcare program will pay for any items or services furnished, ordered, or prescribed by the excluded individual or entity. Healthcare organizations that employ or contract with excluded providers may face civil monetary penalties of up to $100,000 per item or service. Exclusions also affect the provider's ability to work in most healthcare settings, even in non-billing roles, since organizations risk penalties for any involvement of excluded individuals in federally funded care.
How can I check if a provider is excluded?
To check if a specific provider has been excluded, search the OIG's List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE) database at oig.hhs.gov. You can search by name, specialty, or state. The database is updated monthly and includes all currently excluded providers. Healthcare organizations are required to check the LEIE before hiring and on a regular basis (typically monthly) to ensure no current employees or contractors are excluded. The System for Award Management (SAM) exclusion database also contains exclusion records.
Can a provider be reinstated after exclusion?
Providers excluded under the conviction: controlled substance category may apply for reinstatement after the minimum exclusion period has elapsed. The minimum period varies by exclusion type — mandatory exclusions under Section 1128(a) of the Social Security Act typically carry a minimum 5-year period, while permissive exclusions under Section 1128(b) can vary. The provider must submit a written request to the OIG and demonstrate that the circumstances that led to exclusion have been resolved. Reinstatement is not automatic and requires OIG approval.
Patient Resources
Guides to help you understand physician discipline and healthcare enforcement
Verify physician background, license status, and disciplinary history for free.
The difference between revocations, suspensions, probation, and other sanctions.
The complaint process, investigation timeline, and what triggers board action.
Related Healthcare Data
Explore related public data about healthcare providers, hospitals, safety, and worker protections
CMS provider data — 7M+ physicians, specialties, and practice locations nationwide
Hospital quality ratings, patient experience scores, and infection rate data
OSHA workplace safety inspections, violations, and employer penalty data
Workplace injury, illness, and fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Related
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and BLS. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
- BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
- U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
- data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov