Fort Lauderdale Health Care Lawyer

Our legal services are structured around the three pillars of healthcare law most critical to our clients’ success: regulatory compliance, corporate transactions, and professional litigation.

Navigating Regulatory & Administrative Compliance

For practice managers and business owners, maintaining compliance with both state and federal law is a constant, high-stakes challenge. A misstep can lead to crippling fines, exclusion from federal programs, and even criminal investigations. Our attorneys provide proactive counsel and robust defense for all types of compliance issues. A healthcare law attorney, often called a health law attorney or regulatory counsel for health care, is the essential professional to navigate these matters.

Stark Law & Anti-Kickback Statute Compliance

At the federal level, the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) govern physician self-referrals and financial relationships. Violations of this federal law can result in massive penalties. We provide critical guidance by analyzing proposed financial relationships, joint ventures, and compensation models to ensure they fit within a designated “safe harbor” or exception. We help you structure arrangements that are both profitable and compliant, protecting you from allegations of improper referrals. For more information, you can review the official guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

HIPAA & HITECH Privacy and Security

Protecting patients’ information is paramount. We help clients go beyond basic policies by developing and implementing comprehensive privacy and security programs that comply with HIPAA and the HITECH Act. Our services include drafting Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), creating data breach response plans, and defending clients during investigations by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). We also advise on Florida’s specific data privacy laws, ensuring complete protection for your business.

Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Matters

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and the Florida Department of Health are the chief health policy and planning entities for the state. We guide facilities through the complexities of AHCA licensing, survey and certification, change of ownership (CHOW) applications, and disciplinary actions at the state level. If you are facing an administrative complaint from AHCA, our attorneys can represent you in proceedings before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

Medicare & Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Defense

An audit or investigation can threaten your entire practice. We provide an aggressive and strategic defense for providers facing audits from Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) or Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs). We also defend clients against investigations related to billing, coding, and potential violations of the False Claims Act, including responding to Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) and defending against qui tam (whistleblower lawsuits).

Strategic Counsel for Healthcare Transactions & Corporate Law

For physicians and entrepreneurs, every corporate transaction is a pivotal moment. We provide the expert legal guidance needed to capitalize on opportunities while mitigating risk and protecting your financial interests.

Buying & Selling Medical Practices

We manage all aspects of healthcare business transactions, from drafting the initial Letter of Intent (LOI) to structuring the final purchase agreement. Our team conducts thorough due diligence to uncover any potential regulatory, financial, or operational liabilities before the deal closes, ensuring a smooth and successful transition for all medical practices involved.

Medical Practice Formation and Governance

Starting a new practice requires a solid legal foundation. We advise on the optimal corporate structure (LLC, PA, etc.) and draft the essential governance documents, including operating agreements and shareholder agreements that clearly define fiduciary duty. We also have experience structuring complex Management Services Organization (MSO) arrangements to align with Florida’s corporate practice of medicine doctrines.

Physician Employment Contract Review and Negotiation

An employment contract defines your career path. We meticulously review, negotiate, and draft physician employment agreements. Our attorneys focus on securing fair compensation models (including salary, productivity bonuses, and RVU metrics), reasonable restrictive covenants (non-competes), clear termination clauses, and crucial protections for your professional liability insurance, including “tail coverage.”

Structuring Joint Ventures & Partnerships

We structure legally sound joint ventures and partnerships between physicians, hospitals, and other health care entities. Our goal is to create compliant, successful business arrangements that align incentives, foster growth, and adhere strictly to all state and federal regulations.

Tenacious Defense in Professional & Commercial Litigation

When your license, reputation, or business is on the line, you need an experienced litigator in your corner. We defend healthcare professionals in a wide range of administrative, civil, and commercial disputes.

Medical Board Investigations & Licensing Defense

An investigation by the Florida Board of Medicine, the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine, or other professional boards is a serious threat to your livelihood. We handle all types of licensing issues, representing physicians, nurses, and other licensed professionals through every stage of the process. From responding to the initial inquiry to representing you before the Probable Cause Panel and, if necessary, defending your license in a formal administrative hearing, our legal team is here to protect you.

Payor Audits & Reimbursement Disputes

We aggressively challenge unfair reimbursement denials, overpayment demands, and adverse audit findings from both private and government payors, including managed care organizations. Our team understands the complex appeals process and will fight to recover the revenue you have rightfully earned in these reimbursement disputes.

Hospital Staff Privileges & Peer Review Actions

Disputes over credentialing, staff privileges, or peer review can have devastating career consequences. We defend physicians in fair hearings at hospitals, ensuring the facility follows its medical staff bylaws and that your due process rights are protected. We are experienced in the specific procedures of these actions and also assist with responding to and challenging adverse reports to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB).