The healthcare industry is subject to legal and regulatory requirements that govern every aspect of the way business is conducted and services are delivered. The rapidly changing healthcare environment requires creative, yet sensible solutions to the pressures facing the industry.
Our healthcare lawyers are equipped to counsel a diverse clientele on strategies for the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Not only do we understand healthcare law and the industry, we also know the healthcare market and what drives it, allowing us to give our clients both quality legal and business advice.
Depth of Experience Within Our Health Law Practice Group
- Four attorneys Board Certified in Health Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Gray Reed's Healthcare Practice Group and three attorneys are ranked in the Chambers USA 2024 legal directory
- Our healthcare practice was recognized in Best Lawyers' 2024 "Best Law Firms" ranking
- Four attorneys listed as 2024 Best Lawyers in America (a Woodward/White company) in the field of healthcare law
- Three attorneys recognized as 2023 Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters company)
- Two attorneys are certified mediators and two are certified arbitrators by the American Health Law Association
- One of our attorneys was chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Health Law Section and another was an officer of the section
- One attorney is an Adjunct Professor at Baylor University School of Law, where he teaches classes on healthcare law in the School of Law and the Baylor Executive MBA Program
Our Areas of Expertise
- Physician-hospital ventures (including the syndication of interests and financing for ventures)
- Development of hospitals and other healthcare facilities
- Mergers and asset acquisition and disposition
- Acquisitions and sales of medical practices and shareholder interests
- Physician-hospital relationships
- Provider-based hospital contracts
- Physician practice issues and development of ancillary services
- Managed care providers and networks (including health maintenance organizations, utilization review agents, third party administrators, independent practice associations, physician-hospital organizations and accountable care organizations)
- Corporate structuring
- Healthcare reimbursement
- Contract drafting, review and negotiation
- Defense of government investigations
- RAC, ZPIC and other payor audits
- Stark and anti-kickback analysis
- Development and implementation of compliance programs
- Representation before local, state and federal regulators
Our Representation
We listen to our clients’ business objectives and work to combine specialized legal and industry knowledge, relationships and strategy to reach comprehensive, creative and compliant solutions. This unique approach has enabled us to become a trusted advisor and effective advocate for a broad spectrum of healthcare clients that include:
- Healthcare systems and networks
- Hospitals
- Physician practices/dental practices
- Management companies
- Provider networks including clinically integrated networks and ACOs
- Managed care contracting and reimbursement companies
- Physician-owned entities
- Rehabilitation, managed care providers/accountable care organizations
- Imaging and other ancillary providers
- Ambulatory surgery facilities
- Pharmacy providers
- Long-term care facilities/home health agencies/hospice
- Project developers/financial investors/private equity
Corporate and Transactional Practice
Gray Reed is recognized for our market knowledge and business expertise. Our healthcare team has a particular focus on the syndication of partnerships/company interests in the healthcare industry and in the representation of physician practices, physician sponsored provider organizations, physician/hospital partnerships in the development of specialty and acute care hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers and cath labs. We have substantial experience advising clients on a broad range of legal issues relating to the structuring, organization, licensing, and operation of ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals. Our team helps clients negotiate, structure, document and achieve regulatory compliance with healthcare transactions. This includes:
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Joint ventures and strategic alliances
- Complex commercial agreements
- Affiliations
- Research collaborations and licensing agreements
- Equity and debt financings
- Restructurings and workouts
- Facility structure and financing
- Corporate formation and choice of business entity
- Change of ownership (CHOW) advice
- Corporate governance compliance and best practices
Regulatory and Compliance Matters
Our attorneys counsel clients in structuring significant business transactions to comply with complex state and federal laws and regulations affecting the healthcare industry. We have extensive practical experience in developing and implementing individually tailored compliance programs. Gray Reed provides related training as well as monitors and audits the programs to ensure their efficacy in regulating the healthcare payment and delivery systems. We also have experience dealing with complex self-disclosure issues, audits and investigations.
Healthcare Litigation
Our attorneys have successfully litigated cases covering virtually every aspect of healthcare law, including:
- Internal investigations and the defense of allegations of fraud involving government programs
- Criminal investigations of patient abuse and related civil actions
- Actions brought under the false claims act including qui tam and whistleblower lawsuits
- Reimbursement appeals before the provider reimbursement review board and in the courts
- Provider licensing and certification investigations and litigation
- Medical staff disciplinary actions, due process and fair hearings
- Defending claims of medical malpractice
Access to Resources and General Counsel Capabilities
As a full service firm, we are uniquely positioned to effectively represent and counsel healthcare industry businesses beyond routine or the most complex healthcare matters. When a client's need goes beyond the expertise or jurisdiction of a health law attorney, our firm has a worldwide network of lawyers for international and cross-border issues and a healthcare industry team made up of attorneys with a range of practices all focused towards the healthcare industry. These resources allow us to serve as outside general counsel for our clients and help solve nearly any issue they may face in the life cycle of their business such as labor & employment, government investigations & compliance, tax planning & litigation, real estate, intellectual property, construction, bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters.
Our Purpose is You.
Your experience with our healthcare attorneys will be fully aligned with your goals and objectives and tailored specifically to how you want to do business with us – you will never be forced into a box that doesn’t fit your opportunity or problem, or your needs and desires. Whether we are your longtime partner in closing a major transaction or guiding you through a government investigation, you’ll be comfortable with our skill and practical approach. We pride ourselves on our team effort, tapping into the strengths of attorneys from other practice areas in the firm (e.g. real estate, tax and litigation) to seamlessly address your needs in almost any setting. We know exactly when to turn up the heat and when collaboration is the smartest way for clients to achieve their goals.