Chiropractors and chiropractic clinics face a variety of complex legal issues. Our federal healthcare lawyers and consultants provide comprehensive, strategic, and personalized legal advice and representation for chiropractors and clinics across the country.
Chiropractic physicians and clinics are subject to numerous federal laws and regulations that impact virtually all aspects of their practice. From billing Medicare, Medicaid, and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to prescribing pain medications, chiropractors need to focus on federal compliance in order to avoid subjecting themselves to costly, and potentially dangerous, federal healthcare fraud audits and investigations. Licensing, employment, and other state-level issues can present legal risks and challenges as well, and chiropractors who overlook these issues (whether intentionally or unintentionally) may be unknowingly and unnecessarily putting their practices in jeopardy.
At Oberheiden, P.C., our lawyers and compliance consultants represent chiropractors and chiropractic clinics in all aspects of federal and state legal compliance. We also routinely represent chiropractic physicians and other healthcare providers in federal audits, investigations, trials, and appeals. Whether you are seeking to proactively protect your practice or your license, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration, or professional reputation is currently at risk, we can use our knowledge and experience to protect you.
Why Choose Oberheiden, P.C.?
Oberheiden, P.C. is a team of federal healthcare lawyers and consultants who are highly experienced in representing chiropractors, chiropractic clinics, and other healthcare providers. We provide full-service representation for all aspects of federal healthcare law compliance and enforcement, and we routinely assist providers with licensing, employment, business, and other legal matters as well. In addition to numerous highly-experienced compliance and defense lawyers (many of whom previously served as healthcare fraud prosecutors with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)), our team also includes compliance auditors and consultants, a DEA compliance consultant, a federal workers’ compensation expert (for DOL program compliance), and other highly-experienced professionals.
Meet the federal healthcare lawyers and compliance experts at Oberheiden, P.C.: Our Team.
Our Services for Chiropractors and Chiropractic Clinics
Regardless of your legal needs, our team can help ensure that your professional license is secure and that your chiropractic practice will not be at risk in the event of a federal audit or investigation, ethics complaint, or professional malpractice claim. Even if you know nothing more than that you should speak with a lawyer, we can help you understand your practice’s legal risks and develop an effective and cost-efficient strategy for moving forward.
Our services for chiropractors and chiropractic clinics include:
Professional Licensing and Disciplinary Matters
Our lawyers advise chiropractors regarding professional licensing matters and provide representation for ethics complaints, board hearings, and other disciplinary matters. Regardless of whether you are facing a reprimand or the potential for revocation of your professional license, appropriately responding to and defending yourself against any allegations of impropriety or illegality can be essential to protecting your professional reputation and mitigating the risk of any future allegations.
DEA Registration, Auditing, and Enforcement
If you prescribe pain medications as part of your chiropractic practice, you are required to register with the DEA. Registered healthcare providers are subject to periodic DEA audits, and improper prescription practices or other violations of the conditions of registration can threaten your practice’s viability. The DEA also investigates specific allegations of opioid diversion and other Controlled Substances Act (CSA) violations as well, and serious allegations can carry the potential for substantial criminal penalties.
Federal Billing and Coding Compliance
Like all healthcare providers that bill Medicare, Medicaid, and the DOL, chiropractors and chiropractic clinics must maintain strict compliance with the applicable program billing regulations. We provide comprehensive billing and coding compliance services for chiropractic physicians and clinics, assisting with matters ranging from the initial establishment of billing compliance programs to overhauling existing compliance programs and defending clients in billing and coding fraud audits and investigations.
Federal Healthcare Fraud Audits and Investigations
In addition to billing and coding matters, we also represent clients in federal healthcare fraud audits and investigations involving all other types of regulatory and statutory violations. We have an extensive record of success in these matters, and we have resolved the vast majority of our clients’ cases without charges being filed. If your chiropractic practice is being targeted by auditors or federal agents, the key to defending yourself is to intervene and begin actively fighting against the allegations as soon as possible.
Federal Civil and Criminal Defense
Our federal healthcare fraud defense practice also encompasses representing providers in civil and criminal prosecutions. If it is too late for you to avoid charges, or if there is simply nothing that can be done to prevent an indictment, then we will focus our efforts on challenging the government’s case from all angles in order to protect your ability to practice.
Anti-Kickback Statute Compliance
The Anti-Kickback Statute presents challenges for providers in all segments of the healthcare industry. We routinely advise chiropractors and chiropractic clinics regarding Anti-Kickback Statute compliance, and we have significant experience representing clients in Anti-Kickback Statute-related enforcement litigation as well. If you are contemplating a relationship or transaction with potential Anti-Kickback Statute implications, we can ensure that your contract either falls outside of the statute’s scope or that it qualifies for “safe harbor” protection.
Stark Law Compliance
The Stark Law presents additional compliance burdens for chiropractors. Under the Stark Law, chiropractors who refer patients to certain entities for “designated health services” (including physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiation therapy, home health services, and prescription medications) can face severe civil penalties. The Stark Law applies under any circumstances in which a chiropractor or chiropractic clinic has a direct or indirect financial relationship with the entity to which a patient is referred.
Professional Liability Insurance Claims and Litigation
Our lawyers represent chiropractors in professional liability insurance claims and malpractice litigation. Regardless of the veracity of the allegations against you, mounting an effective defense can be crucial to protecting your practice and your reputation. With our attorneys’ and consultants’ extensive experience in healthcare matters, we can promptly assess the validity of the patient’s claim and structure our defense strategy accordingly.
Practice Organization and Management
We represent chiropractors and chiropractic clinics in all aspects of practice organization and management. From forming professional corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) to developing and implementing custom-tailored federal billing compliance programs, we can help you build a practice with a sound legal foundation that won’t create unnecessary hurdles for you down the line.
Employment Contracts and Disputes
Whether you own your own chiropractic practice or you work as an independent contractor or employee, employment-related legal issues can disrupt your practice and present difficult hurdles to overcome. We represent individual chiropractors and chiropractic clinics in all employment-related matters, from contract negotiations and disputes to federal employment tax fraud investigations.
Protecting Your Chiropractic Practice: 5 Keys to Federal Healthcare Fraud Compliance
Among all of the various legal issues facing chiropractic physicians and clinics, federal healthcare fraud compliance is undoubtedly among the most-complex, and non-compliance presents one of the greatest risks for any chiropractic practice. At Oberheiden, P.C., we help our clients avoid the risks of federal healthcare fraud audits, investigations, and prosecutions by:
1. Developing and Implementing Custom-Tailored Compliance Programs
When it comes to healthcare compliance, “one size fits all” simply does not work. We develop and implement custom-tailored compliance programs that reflect our clients’ unique legal needs.
2. Focusing on Documentation
While the ideal scenario is to avoid audits and investigations altogether, this is becoming increasingly unrealistic for healthcare providers. Maintaining thorough documentation is key to resolving any inquiries as quickly and favorably as possible.
3. Focusing on Ongoing Compliance
Federal healthcare compliance is an active and ongoing process. If you do not constantly reassess your needs and update your compliance program accordingly, your compliance efforts are going to fall behind.
4. Understanding and Acknowledging Top Federal Law Enforcement Priorities
With our extensive experience on both sides of federal healthcare fraud audits and investigations, we are familiar with the government’s top priorities and law enforcement objectives. We advise and represent our clients with these concerns in mind.
5. Responding Promptly and Effectively in the Event of a Possible Violation
When you are contacted by auditors or federal investigators, promptly intervening in the audit or investigation can be crucial to asserting an efficient and effective defense. We give our clients the tools they need to proactively identify potential billing, coding, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Stark Law violations, and we provide emergency defense representation for chiropractors and chiropractic clinics that are being targeted by federal authorities.
Learn more: What are the Top Mistakes Regarding Healthcare Compliance?
Speak with an Attorney Experienced in the Legal Issues Affecting Chiropractic Practice
If you have questions or would like more information about our services for chiropractors and chiropractic clinics, we encourage you to get in touch. To get started with a free and confidential consultation, call Oberheiden, P.C. at 888-680-1745 or tell us how we can help online today.
