The attorneys in the AGG Healthcare Practice Group represent healthcare providers. These providers include hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, clinical testing laboratories, magnetic imaging centers, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, physicians, dentists, psychologists and other mental health professionals, and other alternative delivery systems.

Our attorneys are skilled in handling various specific health care matters, including the following:

Certificate of Need
AGG attorneys frequently advise clients on certificate of need issues in many states. Using creative methods to help clients achieve their desired objectives within legal guidelines, the firm's attorneys keep abreast of a myriad of complex ever-changing federal and state regulations which tend to constrain the legitimate business interests of the firm's clients.

Acquisition, Financing and Reorganization of Healthcare Facilities
In various states, the firm's attorneys assist clients in obtaining both public and private financing for the construction or acquisition of new facilities. Using various financing techniques, the firm's attorneys have helped clients develop and acquire hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory surgical centers, and other health facilities, and have assisted clients in obtaining the necessary government approval for transferring these facilities. Structured reorganization of healthcare organizations may produce distinct market advantages. Because of their knowledge of the potential problems these reorganizations can encounter, especially in state licensing, Medicare-Medicaid fraud, antitrust, tax and Corporate, the firm's attorneys are able to assist in handling these sophisticated arrangements.

Antitrust Issues
In the changing economic climate of healthcare delivery, clients often face antitrust considerations, especially with acquisitions, HMOs, PPOs, hospital satellites, and certificate of need contests. The firm advises clients on these issues as well as the antitrust implications of joint ventures, group practice arrangements, and decisions by healthcare facilities relating to staff privileges for professionals.

Reimbursement of Medicare and Medicaid Services
AGG's attorneys advise clients concerning the operation of healthcare facilities seeking to ensure the maximum reimbursement under the Medicare and Medicaid programs with substantial success. Of special concern to healthcare providers is the broad impact of the criminal and civil Medicare-Medicaid anti-fraud provisions affecting reimbursement issues. AGG's attorneys frequently advise clients on such provisions, particularly as clients establish group practice arrangements or joint ventures.

Matters Related to the General Operation of Healthcare Facilities
In the firm's extensive healthcare practice, attorneys have advised healthcare providers on real estate, patient rights, licensure problems, employee relations, employee benefits, tax, and other general corporate matters. The firm frequently works with healthcare clients on issues, including patients' rights, consent to treatment/right-to-die laws, treatment of medical records, and the handling of incompetent patients.

Litigation
The knowledge of healthcare issues among members of the firm's Litigation Department is a valuable resource to the firm's healthcare clients. AGG's attorneys have handled healthcare litigation covering issues such as Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement disputes, licensing, decertification, certificate of need appeals, challenges to construction, constitutional challenges, and contract disputes.

Formulation of Legislation or Regulations in the Healthcare Industry
The firm's attorneys have drafted legislation and regulations for submission before various state and federal legislative bodies and agencies, and on behalf of clients, have provided comments and testimony on other proposed legislation and regulations affecting the industry.

Licensing
Once a building or franchise is obtained, the firm counsels clients on state and local licensing requirements, as well as providing counsel after the clients' organization is established.

Education
The attorneys in AGG's Healthcare Practice Group conduct ongoing programs to educate their clients about industry and legal issues and developments. Some of these programs include regular bulletins and seminars. In addition, AGG's Healthcare lawyers serve as the editors of the Georgia Health Law Update, a monthly newsletter.

>	Attorneys in this area
	Jason E. Bring Michaeleen E. Crowell J. David Doverspike, Sr. Thomas O. Duvall, Jr. Tracy M. Field Richard E. Gardner Charles L. Gregory		Glenn P. Hendrix - Practice Leader Jerry D. McCumber Marc L. Peterzell Hedy S. Rubinger Ashley M. Steiner