The Iowa Board of Medicine, which is part of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, oversees the state’s medical profession. (Photo by Getty Images; board seal courtesy of the State of Iowa).
State officials have issued an emergency order suspending a Cedar Falls physician’s license in order to protect the public.
The judgment is the fourth time the Iowa Board of Medicine has sanctioned Dr. Ted Bonebrake for alleged substance misuse or violating practice limits.
Bonebrake, an addiction-medicine and family-medicine physician who has practiced in the Cedar Falls area, is currently charged by the board with violating an order issued by the Iowa Physician Health Program, which assists physicians in dealing with mental and physical health issues as well as substance abuse. He is also accused of mismanaging medical records.
According to the board, Bonebrake “self-reported to the Iowa Physician Health Program at the direction of the board” on November 10, 2022. The board claims he was then subject to a cease-practice agreement with the program and was unable to work under his Iowa medical license.
The board claims that at some undisclosed date, the program acquired evidence indicating that Bonebrake was writing multiple prescriptions for drugs and taking payment for those prescriptions while still under his cease-practice agreement.
The program then terminated its contract with Bonebrake due to what the board describes as “ongoing, significant non-compliance.” In November 2024, the program referred the issue to the board for assessment.
The undated emergency order that suspended Bonebrake’s license was only recently made public. A hearing on the charges was held on December 12, although it is unclear what action, if any, was done in the case.
Emergency decree follows previous sanctions.
According to board records, Bonebrake was hospitalized for alcohol detoxification in 2001, three years after receiving his Iowa medical and surgical license. The board claims that in August 2003, Bonebrake tested positive for marijuana on two occasions.
In September 2003, the board charged Bonebrake with persistently violating the terms of his then-current Physician Health Program contract by failing to comply with drug test criteria six times and missing at least nine after-care sessions.
The board permitted Bonebrake to keep his license, subject to a substance abuse evaluation and a five-year probationary period.
In September 2004, the board claimed it had acquired information that Bonebrake was consuming alcohol in violation of his licensing probation.
As a result, in 2005, the board issued Bonebrake a warning, fined him $1,000, and placed his license on indefinite probation, with additional requirements for substance misuse evaluations, treatment, and monitoring.
The board claimed that Bonebrake was engaged in a serious car accident in December 2005 after consuming alcohol.
In January 2006, the board charged Bonebrake with habitual intoxication or addiction to drugs or alcohol, as well as disobeying a board order. As a result of these accusations, Bonebrake agreed to have his Iowa medical license suspended.
In May 2013, the board decided to reinstate Bonebrake’s license with the condition that it would be placed on indefinite probation.
On November 30, 2022, the board reinstated Bonebrake’s license to full privileges and no restrictions.