Brief Bio
Tony Cobos is Specialty Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Administrative Law. He has represented many clients before various health care licensing entities, as well as represented numerous clients in contested cases at the State Office of Administrative Hearings and in many peer review, state and federal Medicare reviews and Office of Inspector General actions and hearings.
A native Austinite and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin undergraduate and law schools, Mr. Cobos has over 24 years of experience in health care disciplinary matters, including over 9 years legal experience at the Texas Medical Board. Mr. Cobos was promoted to the Medical Board’s highest legal position, General Counsel, in 1996. During his 9 year tenure, one of the longer tenures served by any attorney for the Medical Board, he participated in hundreds of disciplinary matters and advised the full Board on many issues. He also served as lead counsel for the Licensure Committee of the Board for many years. He also advised the Physician Assistant and Acupuncture Boards. After successful employment at the Texas Medical Board, in 1999 Mr. Cobos joined long-time health care practitioner Michael Sharp for the formation of Sharp & Cobos, P.C., a boutique firm dedicated to the specialized and personalized needs of every health care client.
Representative Experience
The following is a representative list of Administrative Agencies in which Mr. Cobos has tried cases:
- Texas Medical Board
- Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners
- Texas Medical Foundation (Medicare)
- Texas Medicaid Audits
- CMS Medicare Audits
- Texas Medicaid OIG
- Texas Medical Foundation Medicare QA
- Hospital Medical Staffs
- Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
- Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
- Texas Board of Nursing
- Texas State Board of Examiners of Licensed Professional Counselors
- Texas Board of Marriage and Family Therapists
- Texas State Board of Pharmacy
- Texas State Board of Public Accountancy
- Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners
- Texas Department of Health
- Texas Department of Human Services
- Texas State Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy Examiners
- Medical Licensure Boards of other states
- Texas Department of Licensure and Regulation
In addition to his extensive administrative experience listed above, Tony has also litigated administrative cases at the State Office of Administrative Hearings through full trial hearings as well as the SOAH mediation process.
Previous Legal Experience
- Texas State Board of Medical Examiners:
- General Counsel, November 1996 to May 1999
- Senior Staff Attorney, October 1993 to November 1996
- Staff Attorney, October 1990 to October 1993
- Texas State Board of Public Accountancy:
- Attorney, November 1989 to October 1990
Membership/Associations/Awards
- State Bar of Texas- 1989
- Certified in Administrative Law- Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- AV “Preeminent” Rating- Martindale-Hubbell
- Administrative Law Section, State Bar of Texas
- Health Law Section, State Bar of Texas
- Austin Health Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- Travis County Bar Association
- Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
Education
- Bachelor of Science, University of Texas, December 1984
- Juris Doctor, University of Texas School of Law, May 1989
Select Presentations
-
Regulatory Intrusions- Speaker
Physician Interrupted- Disruption Comes in Many Forms
Galveston, Texas- October 2017
Sponsor- Texas Medical Association
-
Administrative Regulation and Sunset Review- Panelist
12th Annual Advanced Administrative Law
Austin, Texas- August 2017
Sponsor- University of Texas School of Law
- Deference to Final Agency Decisions- Point/Counterpoint and Practical Considerations
Austin, Texas, June 2014
Sponsor: State Bar of Texas - Nuts & Bolts of Administrative Law
Agency Negotiation- Panelist
Austin, Texas, March 2013
Sponsor: Austin Bar Association
- Anatomy of an Administrative Hearing
Mock Trial at SOAH- Panelist
Austin, Texas, March 2012
Sponsor: Austin Bar Association
- Advanced Medical Malpractice Course
The Texas Medical Board: Complaint Processing at the Texas Medical Board: What to Expect
San Antonio, Texas, March 2010
Sponsor: State Bar of Texas
- Occupational Hazards to Physicians: Mismanaged Boundaries, Sexual Behavior and Time Management Skills
Tyler, Texas, October 22, 2005
Sponsor: Committee on Physician Health and Rehabilitation, Texas Medical Association
- Mock Trial and Mock Medical Board Proceeding
Texas Society of Pathologists Young Pathologists Retreat
Horseshoe Bay, Texas July 20-30, 2005
Sponsor: Texas Society of Pathologists
- The Intersection of Ethics, Law and Rules of Practice: Applications and Decision Making in University Counseling Centers
Padre Island, Texas April 21, 2005
Sponsor: Texas University and College Counseling Directors Assoc.
- 12th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Seminar
Austin, Texas, September 23-24, 1999
Sponsor: University of Texas
- Health Care and the Year 2000 Crisis
Dallas, Texas, November 12, 1998
Sponsor: Y2K Institute
- Expanding the Horizons of Professional Licensing
Austin, Texas, November 5-7, 1998
Sponsor: Citizens Advocacy Center
- 10th Annual Health Law Conference
Board of Medical Examiners, Update and Effective Advocacy
Houston, Texas, April 16-17, 1998
Sponsor: University of Texas School of Law
- Annual Health Care Conference
Houston, Texas, April 26-27, 1998
Sponsor: Texas Business Group on Health
- Telemedicine Legislation Impacts on Healthcare in Texas
October 29, 1997
Sponsors: Arthur Andersen L.L.P., The Fondren Foundation
- Houston Baptist University
Guest Speaker: Physician Regulation and Discipline
Houston, Texas July 15, 1997
Sponsor: Sarah von Rosenberg, Ph.D.
- Texas Association of Medical Counseling Centers, Annual Meeting
College Station, Texas, April 11-12, 1997
Sponsor: Texas A & M University Health Science Center
- Non-Profit Certification and Regulation and Board of Medical Examiners Update
Austin, Texas, November, 1996
Sponsor: Austin Health Lawyers Group
Publications
- Healthcare Licensing and Credentialing: Foreseeability of Upstream and Downstream Collateral Consequences. Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal, Volume 14, Book 1, Fall 2012
- 5.01(a) Board of Director Reporting Requirements. Texas 5.01(a) Alliance News. September/October 1998.
Professional and Community Activities
From 2003 to 2019, Mr. Cobos served as a Board member and legal advisor to Samaritan Health Ministries, a faith based non-profit health care clinic serving the uninsured and indigent community of Cedar Park, Texas.
Additional Personal Information
Mr. Cobos has been married for over 23 years to Delma Cobos, a Registered Records Administrator (“RRA”) and Certified Coding Specialist (“CCS”) in medical coding. He and his family are active members of St. Williams Catholic Church in Round Rock, Texas and enjoy spending time with their twin daughters and son.