Healthcare law is comprised of a multitude of federal, state and local laws and regulations that apply to all types of healthcare providers. Healthcare law in Bossier City Louisiana can be remarkably complicated, touching upon many facets of law involving torts, contracts, antitrust, and insurance. Hospitals, clinics, physicians, and durable medical equipment companies will undoubtedly at some point need the assistance of an attorney experienced in the practice of healthcare law in Bossier City Louisiana.
There are many factors which affect the operations of all healthcare providers. Healthcare law attorneys focus on providing legal counsel and representation to all varieties of healthcare providers regarding the operational, regulatory and transactional legal issues with which they must contend. Some of the issues healthcare providers commonly need assistance with include:
- Compliance with federal and state laws and regulations
- Patient care
- Risk management
- Privileges and credentialing
- Employment issues and disputes
- RAC Audits and appeals
- Contracts
- General healthcare issues
Healthcare laws and regulations impact the day-to-day decisions of healthcare providers. For example, hospitals must act reasonably in their treatment decisions with regards to patients whose health is in serious jeopardy as well as pregnant women in labor. When hospitals do not do this, it is known as “patient dumping”, a practice prohibited by COBRA.
Additionally, under EMTALA, hospitals receiving federal assistance, maintaining charitable non-profit tax status, or participating in Medicare are prohibited from denying individual’s emergency treatment based solely on the inability to pay. And in Roberts v. Galen of Virginia, Inc., the United States Supreme Court ruled that patients with an emergency medical condition transferred from a hospital before being stabilized may sue the hospital under EMTALA.
An experienced healthcare attorney can counsel medical providers about these types of legal issues before they are faced with a lawsuit. If you are a medical provider in Louisiana in need of legal assistance, contact an experienced healthcare law attorney for a consultation.
