We know that building and operating a successful medical practice or healthcare business in Texas demands extraordinary commitment. Beyond providing exceptional patient care, you’re navigating ever-changing regulations, managing staffing challenges, and dealing with increasingly difficult reimbursement issues — all while trying to maintain profitability and some semblance of work-life balance.
We’ve dedicated our practice to supporting businesses like yours. Many of our healthcare lawyers have first-hand experience with the Texas healthcare environment and maintain active connections with medical associations and healthcare industry groups across the state.
Our deep experience with healthcare businesses allows us to identify potential compliance issues, business risks, and regulatory pitfalls before they become costly problems.
Theoretical advice isn't always helpful when you're facing real-world challenges. Our guidance is always oriented toward implementable solutions that work in your practice setting.
From addressing unfair payor practices to structuring compliant business arrangements, we focus on protecting what you've worked so hard to build.
Emergencies don't always happen during business hours. Our team of healthcare compliance attorneys provide responsive service when time-sensitive issues arise.
Our firm works with clients across the full spectrum of the life sciences industry.
Our healthcare lawyers advise clients — from large healthcare providers to independent physician practices — on:
When you work with our healthcare attorneys, you gain more than legal representation. You gain trusted legal advisors who understand both the business and clinical aspects of healthcare delivery and are dedicated to helping your practice thrive.
Healthcare regulations create unique compliance requirements that affect virtually every aspect of your practice operations. While general business attorneys can address basic corporate matters, they often miss healthcare-specific implications in arrangements that seem straightforward.
We recommend engaging healthcare counsel for any matter involving provider relationships, payor interactions, regulatory compliance, or practice transactions to ensure you identify and address healthcare-specific risks.
We guide practices through the entire audit process, from initial response to appeals and, when necessary, litigation. Our approach begins with analyzing the audit request, developing a strategic response, and preparing documentation that supports your position. Throughout the process, we work to minimize disruption to your practice operations while protecting your financial interests.
Look for an attorney with specific experience in your practice specialty and the particular issues you face. Ask about their familiarity with similar matters, experience with organizations of your size, and approach to practical problem-solving.
The right healthcare attorney should demonstrate understanding of both legal requirements and business realities, provide clear communication without unnecessary jargon, and offer responsive service aligned with your timelines.
Our team of healthcare lawyers help providers implement proactive documentation and billing compliance programs tailored to your specific practice and specialty. This includes developing internal audit processes, staff training, and documentation protocols.
When audits occur, we guide you through the response process. We represent your interests in appeals and disputes with government and commercial payors, often achieving reduction or elimination of proposed recoupments.
We represent healthcare providers and entities in DOJ investigations, CMS audits, and qui tam lawsuits alleging Stark Law violations. We’ve successfully defended clients by proving arrangements fit within exceptions or that technical violations don’t warrant the draconian penalties the government seeks.
The Anti-Kickback Statute criminalizes remuneration offered or received in exchange for patient referrals in federal healthcare programs. Unlike Stark Law’s technical requirements, Anti-Kickback violations carry criminal penalties including prison time. Our Anti-Kickback attorney practice protects you from arrangements that could be characterized as illegal remuneration.
A Medicare fraud attorney specializes in defending against government enforcement actions, understands federal criminal and civil procedure, and has relationships with DOJ attorneys and OIG investigators. When your practice faces fraud allegations, you need counsel experienced in high-stakes government investigations, not transactional healthcare attorneys. Our Medicare fraud legal team has handled hundreds of enforcement matters and knows how to navigate investigations that threaten your livelihood.
We negotiate physician employment agreements to limit restrictive covenant scope, reduce geographic restrictions, shorten time periods, and secure buyout provisions. Our restrictive covenant lawyers have successfully eliminated non-competes entirely or narrowed them to reasonable limits. The best time to address restrictive covenants is before signing. Leverage matters, and we ensure you’re not locked into agreements that will trap you in bad employment situations or force you to relocate.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Clinic owners with outside general counsel tend to address issues early while they’re still manageable and relatively inexpensive to fix. And taking the time to draft strong, compliant contracts creates a sturdy foundation for healthy business growth. Conversely, owners without legal oversight often delay, brush aside compliance risks, and only call a lawyer once a demand letter, subpoena, or CMS audit arrives. At this point, a costly lawsuit or investigation is often unavoidable. Take the time to build that strong legal foundation for your business. You’ll sleep better! “
Greg Flores, Partner at Nichols Weitzner Thomas LLP
Houston Office
Austin Office
