Health Care Practice Group
Our health law attorneys have long-term, significant experience in serving a variety of the business, regulatory and medico-legal requirements of its health care clients.
Lewitt Hackman's clients have included some of the nation's large publicly-held health care providers, as well as both privately and government owned hospitals, group practices, joint ventures, professional corporations and partnerships, individual physicians, dentists, podiatrists, psychologists, chiropractors and other medical professionals; clinics, laboratories, diagnostic equipment partnerships, owners and developers of medical office buildings and other health care entities.
We also have extensive experience with health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, independent practice associations, home health care service companies and other forms of health care organizations, providing legal assistance in conjunction with the formation and contractual activities of all such entities.
The transactions entered into by our health care clients are similar to those in other industries. Most, however, also involve unique elements that require a firm with specialized knowledge in the health care field.
Lewitt Hackman's Health Law Attorneys have negotiated and drafted all types of contracts related to health care facilities, including management contracts for hospitals and clinics, sale-leaseback agreements, agreements between hospitals and physicians, payors and others, and agreements and leases pertaining to medical office buildings, surgery centers and equipment partnerships. The firm offers its clients up-to-date assistance with respect to the content and effect of new legislation with often wide ranging impact, such as recent federal and state "self referral" legislation.
We assist clients in the acquisition, sale and licensing of health care entities. These transactions have included asset and stock acquisitions, both taxable and tax-free. (In addition to their usual financing, real estate, tax and securities aspects, these matters often require the firm's specialized expertise in licensing, reimbursement, planning and accreditation requirements.) Divestitures have been particularly prevalent as required or otherwise encouraged by the new self-referral laws and safe harbor regulations, and the firm has substantial experience in these matters.
The firm's Civil Litigation Department has handled disputes between health care providers, obtained appellate court reversal of health planning decisions and successfully defended against efforts to terminate or suspend hospital and physician licenses.
Other services have included extensive involvement in disputes between corporations and partnerships and their former shareholders or partners, and representation of both hospitals and physicians in medical staff disputes.