Congress and state legislatures have enacted a sweeping array of laws designed to regulate the behavior of individuals and entities operating within the health care industry. Violating these laws can often lead to harsh consequences, including substantial civil fines, the so-called “death penalty” of exclusion from federal programs, or even imprisonment. Unfortunately, compliance is often not intuitive; the laws regulating the health care industry are complex, often draconian, and contain numerous traps for the unwary. Our attorneys are well-versed in the large and growing body of laws governing the health care industry. Of equal importance, because we have extensive experience serving health care clients, we understand the business and economic realities of the industry in which they operate. Employing a realistic and pragmatic approach, we provide our clients within the health care industry with effective and efficient legal services in the following areas, among others:
- Structuring business arrangements (such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, and leases) to comply with the rigorous requirements of the physician self-referral law (Stark law) and Anti-kickback Statute (AKS);
- Developing compliance programs that ensure the client’s conformity with Office of Inspector General (OIG) guidelines;
- Negotiating settlements with governmental enforcement agencies when criminal charges, investigations, or enforcement actions have been commenced;
- Handling all manner of health care litigation on behalf of clients, from the most ordinary to the most complex matters;
- Advising on the legal implications of mergers and acquisitions; and
- Counseling clients on all manner of day-to-day compliance issues, including matters involving HIPAA, the AKS and the Stark law.
