New Enforcement Measures and Health Care Reform to be Discussed at Legal Conference in Miami

Health Care Fraud Enforcement Targeting Individuals as well as Organizations

May 9, 2011; (Miami, Fla.) – As fraud and abuse continues to be an overriding issue in the nation’s health care industry system, the U.S. government is fighting back with tougher enforcement actions.  Individual corporate executives are now being held responsible for misdeeds of their organization, even if they are not directly involved, according to Broad and Cassel Managing Partner Gabriel L. Imperato, who is chairing the 21^st Annual National Institute on Health Care Fraud in Miami, May 11-13.

“Health care reform measures are impacting fraud enforcement in a big way,” Imperato said.  “Corporate executives now face individual liability for health care fraud committed within their organizations.”

More than 200 attorneys from across the country are expected to attend the event at the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach to learn about new health care fraud enforcement actions, regulations and other reforms impacting the health care industry.

Among the prominent speakers scheduled to address the group are:

·         Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida;

·         Vicki Robinson, the Senior Advisor to the Inspector General for Health Care Reform, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;

·         Daniel R. Anderson, Deputy Director, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC;

·         Michael Granston, Assistant Director, Commercial Litigation Branch, Department of Justice, Washington, DC

·         Carol J. Bennett, Deputy Associate  General Counsel, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC;

·         Kim Brandt, Chief Healthcare Investigative Counsel, U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Minority Staff, Washington, DC; and

·         Jeffrey Dickstein, Assistant U.S. Attorney Civil Division Southern District of Florida, Miami, Fla.

 “We are offering a program that advances education, communication, professionalism, and discussion of current legal and ethical issues that arise in the health care fraud practice,” said Imperato.

For a complete schedule of the conference sessions, visit www.abacle.org/programs/hcf.

The program brochure can be found here: http://apps.americanbar.org/cle/programs/n11hcf1.pdf

About the 21^st Annual National Institute on Health Care Fraud

The 21st Annual National Institute on Health Care Fraud provides a rewarding educational experience for health care attorneys, regulators, prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, qui tam relators' counsel and compliance professionals. This National Institute draws panelists, facilitators, and participants from each of these significant groups and offers unique opportunities to meet and share experiences and concerns in a non-adversarial setting.

The program planning committee is committed to creating a program that advances education, communication, professionalism, and discussion of current legal and ethical issues that arise in the health care fraud practice. These issues are addressed in panel discussions and small workshop formats designed to maximize audience participation.