Godfrey & Kahn’s Health Care Practice Group is organized around a core group of attorneys who provide legal services to clients in the health care industry. During 2014, our practice group worked on a wide spectrum of health care matters—only a few of which are recounted below. In these situations, and many others, we helped clients achieve positive outcomes, thereby reducing risk and increasing profitability. We look forward to an exciting 2015 and will continue to work hard to provide our current clients and new clients with outstanding results. If you or your company could benefit from our services, please contact a member of our Health Care Team. 

• Defended a client accused of multiple HIPAA violations before the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service Office for Civil Rights.
• Represented a medical professional during a conduct audit with the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board.
• Successfully avoided litigation by reaching settlement of a contract breach claim involving a software vendor, resulting in repayment to client of more than $250,000.
• Supported the corporate enhancement of a multi-shareholder dental practice by transitioning a dentist to shareholder status.
• Enhanced the corporate structure of a dental practice holding company through a dental practice acquisition.
• Represented an employer in an NLRB investigative process by responding to charges and negotiating a favorable settlement.
• Prepared an employer for collective-bargaining with the Service Employees International Union and developed proposals and strategies designed to accomplish both short and long-term goals.
• Restructured real estate interests of a dental practice holding company.
• Utilized corporate governance experience to support an affiliation arrangement between a Wisconsin-based health system and an Iowa-based hospital.
• Represented a Minnesota health maintenance organization in securing federal tax exempt status.
•  Enhanced regulatory oversight by developing a contract database.
• Represented an Illinois client with an employee discrimination complaint.
• Developed bundled payment plans for a client to meet CMS regulatory initiatives.
• Negotiated the lease of a health care facility for a health care system.
• Resolved a class action lawsuit alleging that a client improperly calculated retirement benefits for thousands.
• Litigated to resolve claims between health care systems concerning exclusive contracts with provider groups privileging and recruiting practices.
• Counseled a large health care system on antitrust implications of a proposed relationship with a specialty hospital.
• Represented an insurance company under investigation by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
• Represented a durable medical equipment company in a licensure investigation with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
• Represented a medical practice in a $1 million+ government reimbursement dispute.
• Developed and implemented a supervisory training program designed to increase management awareness of and in response to a union organizing activity.
• Reviewed, revised and educated management concerning employment policies that may impact Section 7 rights of employees under NLRA.
• Represented a health care system in the acquisition, annexation and permitting of real estate for a new hospital.
• Represented a health care system in its affiliation with a neighboring system, including refunding the neighboring system’s debt.
• Represented a health care system in a bond transaction refunding prior bonding and financing to a new hospital, cancer center, clinic and other capital improvements.
• Commenced litigation to enforce a non-competition provision in an employment agreement with a physician.
• Defended a health system client against alleged age discrimination following termination of an employee.
• Managed a medical staff peer review process and resultant appeal by a medical provider pursuant to the Health Care Quality Improvement Act.
• Negotiated the exit of a physician and resolved outstanding claims of unpaid physician compensation.
• Limited client liability and environmental impacts by working cooperatively with regulators to investigate and close a case involving environmental contamination that occurred prior to a client’s acquisition of a health care property.
• Increased effectiveness of transaction due diligence by overseeing the performance of environmental and health and safety reviews on potential acquisition properties.
• Represented a health care client to meet its sustainability, energy independence and clean energy goals by providing legal services and related advice for successful development of biogas generation projects.
• Represented a physician practice group in connection with the investigation of an employed physician regarding medical necessity of treatment and appropriateness of prescribing patterns.
• Represented various providers and practice groups in connection with licensing board investigations related to physician competence and alleged disruptive behavior by physicians.
• Represented a dental practice in disputes with health insurance companies regarding coding and reimbursement levels for an innovative treatment program.
• Counseled multiple physician groups regarding their participation in the two state-wide contracting networks.
• Advised an occupational medical services provider regarding corporate practice of medicine issues in Wisconsin and other states.