Kathleen L. DeBruhl

Healthcare Attorney

Copyright

Kathleen L. DeBruhl is Board Certified in Health Law by the Louisiana State Specialty Bar. Ms. DeBruhl’s practice focuses on the representation of healthcare providers, especially physicians. Her multi-state clients include healthcare providers, specialty hospitals, medical staffs, ambulatory surgery centers, durable medical equipment providers, imaging facilities, and laboratories, and pharmacies.

She is admitted in Louisiana and New York and all Federal Courts in Louisiana.

Her extensive healthcare expertise covers a variety of areas, including substantial experience in general healthcare law, managed care contracts, physician employment and practices, recruitment and contracting, antitrust, Medicare and Medicaid certification and reimbursement, audits and appeals, fraud and abuse, mergers and acquisitions, and the development of ancillary services and joint ventures, such as ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and specialty hospitals.

Ms. DeBruhl is particularly experienced in providing strategic planning and advice to healthcare clients to build and develop healthcare projects, including the organization of healthcare entities, joint ventures, construction, financing, management structures and investor syndication. She has developed integrated delivery systems, including ACO’s, physician specialty hospitals, and has facilitated complex provider mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Her healthcare practice and expertise also span both state and federal regulatory issues, including Medicare fraud and abuse enforcement and compliance issues, state fraud and abuse matters, insurance industry fraud and compliance, and federal Qui Tam (“Whistleblower”) defense.

Ms. DeBruhl also serves as outside counsel to the Faculty Group Practice Plans to the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. Ms. DeBruhl was the initial counsel to organize the faculty group practices and obtained its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation. Ms. DeBruhl has also served as special counsel to other academic medical centers.

Ms. DeBruhl has contributed her expertise as a co-author of national publications regarding the legal representation of physicians and speaks at regional and national seminars and conferences for both legal and healthcare associations. She is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell® and since 2009 has been recognized as a Top Lawyer in Healthcare in the New Orleans Area by New Orleans Magazine.

  • Binghamton University, B.A.
  • Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Juris Doctor

  • ABA Health Law Section Champion of Diversity and Inclusion, 2024
  • New Orleans Magazine, “Top Lawyers”, 2007-2024
  • Lawyers of Distinction, 2017-2024

  • Louisiana State Bar Association, Health Law Section, Member Co-Chair – Health Law Program (2022-2024)
  • New York State Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
    – ABA Commission on Women in the Profession – Commissioner
    – ABA Commission on Women in the Profession – Liaison from Health Law Section (2017-2021)
    – Health Law Section, Member
    – Health Law Section, Council (2018-2021)
    – Chair – Interest Group Executive Committee (2021-2023)
    – Physicians Legal Issues Conference with ABA Health Law Section and Chicago Medical Society (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
  • American Health Lawyers Association
    – Physician Organizations Practice Group, Member
    – Fraud and Abuse Practice Group, Member
    – Academic Medical Centers Practice Group, Member
  • American Medical Association, Legal Advisory Committee

Speaking Engagements:

  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons – Practice Group Meeting; multiple topics including: Medical Practice Mergers; Joint Ventures; Vendor Relationships; Effectively Competing with Hospitals, Chicago, Illinois (2010 – 2023)   
  • American Association of Orthopaedic Executives – Webinar– “Accountable Care Organizations and Hospitals Purchasing Practices” (2011)   
  • Florida Orthopaedic Society – Scientific Annual Meeting– “ACOs and Alignment Strategy Issues”, Orlando, Florida (2011)
  • South Carolina Association of Orthopaedic Executives– “Hot Legal Topics for Orthopaedic Administrators”, Kiawah, South Carolina (2011)
  • Florida Bones Society, Annual Meeting– “ACOs, Service Line Agreements, Hospital Board Employment, Physician Group Mergers and Umbrella Organizations”, Amelia Island, Florida (2011)
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons – Practice Group Meeting– “Clinical and Financial Integration – Legal Issues”, Chicago, Illinois (2011)
  • Midwest American Academy of Orthopaedic Executives – Spring Meeting– “Hot Topics for Orthopaedic Practices – Mergers, Hospital Alignments, Service Line Agreements and Implant Companies”, Lake Ozark, Missouri (2012)
  • Children’s Hospital – “Physician Employment Agreements for Medical Residents”, New Orleans, Louisiana (2012)
  • ABA Health Law Section and Chicago Medical Society Physician Legal Issues – “Staying the Course: Maintaining a Physician Group Practice in Today’s Market Place”, Chicago, Illinois (2012)
  • Florida Orthopaedic Society Board of Directors Meeting – “Physician-Owned Distributorships” Boca Raton, Florida (2012)
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons – AAOS Practice Forward: Managing Your Practice in an Era of Healthcare Transformation – “Clinical and Financial Integration Legal Issues”, Chicago, Illinois (2012)
  • American Medical Association – Webinar: “Principles of Physician Employment” (2013)
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Executives- Webinar: “Maintaining an Independent Practice” (2013)
  • American Bar Association-Chicago Medical Society: “Principles of Physician Employment”, Chicago, Illinois (2013)
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons- AAOS Practice Forward: “Provider Integration Strategies-Legal Considerations”, Chicago, Illinois (2013)
  • Leadership Summit – State Orthopedic Societies: “Legal Issues Facing Orthopaedic Surgeons”, New Orleans, Louisiana (2018)
  • Bones Society of Florida: “Sales, Mergers and Equity Acquisitions”, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (2018)
  • American Bar Association Health Law Section – Physician Legal Issues: “Anatomy of a Physician Employment Agreement”, Chicago, Illinois (2018)

Publications:

  • Co-Author, American Health Lawyers – Physician Practice Handbook – Chapter on Reimbursement of Physician’s Services; Volume I (2006)
  • to Present Contributing Editor – eHealth Newsletter on Physician Practice Issues, American Health Lawyers Association (2007)
  • Co-Author, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons/American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons – Practice Management Committee – “To Pay or Not to Pay” (2008)
  • Co-Author, American Health Lawyers – Physician Practice Handbook – Chapter on Reimbursement of Physician’s Services; Volume II (2009)
  • Chair, ABA Task Force-Comments to OIG 1999 Special Advisory Bulletin on Effects of Exclusion from Medicare (2011)
  • Co-Author, American Medical Association-Model Co-Management Agreement (2012)
  • Co-Author, American Health Lawyers – Physician Practice Handbook – Chapter on Reimbursement of Physician’s Services; Volume III (2013)
  • Author, AAOS Now, “Survival Skills for Independent Practices” (Feb. 2013)
  • Co-Author, AAOS Now, “New Light on Industry Payments to Physicians” (Jan. 2014)
  • Contributing Writer, “Louisiana Orthopaedic Association 2014 Membership Directory and Physician Source Book: A Compilation of Laws, Rules, Regulations and Guidelines Governing the Medical Profession,” (Feb. 2014)

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