Committees and Councils

Academic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Institute Planning CommitteeAcademic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Institute Planning Committee

Academic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Practice GroupAcademic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Practice Group

The Academic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Practice Group provides a forum for attorneys who are employed by and/or service AMCTHs in the healthcare industry. The Practice Group addresses the practical legal issues arising from the interpretation and application of law and regulations to the operations of health care providers, payors, regulators, and suppliers as they affect AMCTHs. The Practice Group presents summaries and brief analyses of forms, models, approaches, structures, and legal analyses relevant to the successful operation of an in-house legal service for a AMCTH as well as those attorneys who service a AMCTH.

Advising Providers Planning CommitteeAdvising Providers Planning Committee

AHLA Board of DirectorsAHLA Board of Directors

Annual Meeting Planning CommitteeAnnual Meeting Planning Committee

Antitrust Practice GroupAntitrust Practice Group

The Antitrust Practice Group addresses public and private enforcement activity and competition policy affecting all sectors of the healthcare industry, including healthcare providers, health insurers, and medical device and pharmaceutical companies. The Practice Group also maintains a listserve, publishes Member Briefings, and sponsors teleconferences and seminars.

Behavioral Health Practice GroupBehavioral Health Practice Group

The Behavioral Health (BH) Practice Group is committed to advancing the understanding of laws impacting behavioral health, including the delivery of services to those living with mental illness, certain neurological conditions, substance use disorders or developmental disabilities, and reimbursement for such services. A complex framework of federal and state laws concerning privacy, information sharing and exchange, reimbursement, involuntary commitment, and other subjects provides unique challenges to healthcare providers and payors of behavioral health services. Scientific, legislative, and other developments, including healthcare reform, have presented new issues and opportunities in this area, including primary and behavioral healthcare integration initiatives, insurance coverage parity mandates, changes to Medicaid, and evolving public policy, to name a few. The BH Practice Group will monitor and evaluate these laws and developments through written materials, webinars, and in-person educational activities so that AHLA members are better equipped to advise clients on behavioral health topics. In addition, the work of the BH Practice Group will serve to raise awareness about how behavioral health laws influence health improvement efforts, and will include collaborative efforts with AHLA's Public Interest activities.

Business Law and Governance Practice GroupBusiness Law and Governance Practice Group

Development and Advancement CouncilDevelopment and Advancement Council

The Development and Advancement Council’s purpose is to ensure AHLA benefits from a strong, stable, and growing revenue stream obtained from philanthropy. Responsibilities: • Help develop policies and procedures for board action related to gift solicitation and recognition, including planned gift guidelines when no planned giving committee exists. • Ensure a persuasive case for the role of philanthropy in AHLA’s mission and vision for the future and how best to support this mission. • Help develop plans and procedures to involve the entire board in fundraising. • Help develop strategies for involvement and cultivation of major gifts prospects. • Serve as a source of information on the environmental factors affecting fundraising among organization’s constituencies. • Help evaluate the potential prospects for increased levels of contributions. • Help develop an expectation for financial contributions from all members of the board and provide leadership by making their own gifts. • Solicit gifts at the various levels required for annual, special, and planned giving programs. • Involve other board members and volunteers in the cultivation and solicitation processes. The Development and Advancement Council, serving as a Special Committee of the Board, shall consist of the Chair and up to four (4) members drawn from the membership. AHLA’s President shall appoint the Chair as well as members for a two-year term. In addition, the President shall appoint up to two members from the Board of Directors to serve a one-year term on the Development and Advancement Council, renewable once for a total of two years.

Dispute Resolution Service CouncilDispute Resolution Service Council

Dispute Resolution Service Review BoardDispute Resolution Service Review Board

Early Career Professionals CouncilEarly Career Professionals Council

This 15-member Council facilitates and coordinates opportunities for engagement by students and early career professionals who belong to AHLA.

Education CommitteeEducation Committee

Executive CommitteeExecutive Committee

Fellows Coordinating CouncilFellows Coordinating Council

Finance CommitteeFinance Committee

Fraud and Abuse Practice GroupFraud and Abuse Practice Group

The Fraud and Abuse Practice Group provides issue summaries and brief analysis of relevant judicial, administrative, and settlement decisions as well as regulatory developments regarding enforcement efforts and compliance responses; provides a resource to members facing enforcement initiatives and/or designing compliance strategies.

Fraud and Compliance Forum Planning CommitteeFraud and Compliance Forum Planning Committee

Fundamentals of Health Law Planning CommitteeFundamentals of Health Law Planning Committee

Governance CommitteeGovernance Committee

Health Care Liability and Litigation Practice GroupHealth Care Liability and Litigation Practice Group

The Health Care Liability and Litigation Practice Group addresses issues that encompass all areas of potential liability that affect health care providers, suppliers, and manufacturers, and keeps its membership apprised of developments in the litigation and trial of health care disputes involving hospitals, payors, integrated delivery systems, and individual physicians, as well as manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics.

Health Care Transactions Planning CommitteeHealth Care Transactions Planning Committee

Health Information and Technology Practice GroupHealth Information and Technology Practice Group

The Health Information and Technology Practice Group provides a forum for members to exchange information and become educated about legal issues arising from the use of information and communications technology in healthcare, including issues related to the acquisition and operation of health information systems and networks, electronic medical records, telemedicine, electronic prescribing, Internet and email communications, operation of websites, expert diagnostic systems, clinical data repositories and master patient indexes, confidentiality and security, electronic signatures, and ownership of healthcare data.

Health Plans Law and Compliance Institute Planning CommitteeHealth Plans Law and Compliance Institute Planning Committee

Hospitals and Health Systems Practice GroupHospitals and Health Systems Practice Group

The Hospitals and Health Systems Practice Group addresses the legal, financial, and operational issues raised by healthcare business strategies and transactions from the perspective of hospitals and health systems, including those involving other nonprofit, for-profit, public, and private hospitals and health systems, physicians and physician organizations, ancillary services providers, for-profit affiliates, financial institutions and authorities, pharmaceutical and medical products manufacturers and vendors, and managed care organizations.

In-House Counsel Planning CommitteeIn-House Counsel Planning Committee

In-House Counsel Practice GroupIn-House Counsel Practice Group

The In-House Counsel Practice Group provides a forum for attorneys employed in the healthcare industry and those who work with them and provide services to them to exchange information. Addresses the day-to-day practical legal issues arising from the interpretation and application of law and regulations to the operations of healthcare providers, payors, regulators, manufacturers, and suppliers. Presents summaries and brief analyses of forms, models, approaches, structures, and legal analyses relevant to the successful operation of an in-house legal service.

Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues Planning CommitteeInstitute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues Planning Committee

Journal of Health & Life Sciences Law Editorial BoardJournal of Health & Life Sciences Law Editorial Board

Labor and Employment Practice GroupLabor and Employment Practice Group

The Labor and Employment Practice Group addresses industry concerns related to healthcare employment law, employment discrimination, immigration, union-management disputes and legal matters, NLRB law, alternative dispute resolution in labor and employment, OSHA enforcement, workers' compensation, and other labor and employment issues as they relate to employers in the healthcare and life science industries, including all healthcare providers, facilities, payors, suppliers, and manufacturers.

Life Sciences Practice GroupLife Sciences Practice Group

The Life Sciences Practice Group provides educational and informational services and resources to in-house attorneys; outside counsel; government attorneys; compliance officers; finance and reimbursement executives, FDA, research, clinical trials and regulatory affairs professionals; and consultants who practice in the traditional life sciences field with respect to issues involving pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, biotechnology companies, research and site management organizations, manufacturing and supplier vendors, prescription drug plans, wholesale distributors, retail and specialty pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers and the financial services firms that invest in these entities. This Life Sciences Practice Group concentrates on issues such as food and drug law regulation, third-party payment and reimbursement (e.g., coverage, coding and payment methodologies for products), fraud and abuse, government contracts, products liability, intellectual property, clinical trials, and research.

Long Term and Post-Acute Care Law and Compliance Planning CommitteeLong Term and Post-Acute Care Law and Compliance Planning Committee

Medical Staff, Credentialing, and Peer Review Practice GroupMedical Staff, Credentialing, and Peer Review Practice Group

The Medical Staff, Credentialing, and Peer Review Practice Group provides a forum for those who represent and advise the individual healthcare professional, the collective medical or professional staff, and/or the healthcare entity with issues regarding the organization and operations of medical and professional staffs in healthcare entities and organizations, including but not limited to: the medical staff bylaws and rules; performance of medical staff responsibilities; appointments and credentialing; dealing with disruptive or impaired healthcare professionals; conducting peer review and quality assurance; taking corrective action; providing fair hearings for medical and allied health professional staffs; peer review communications and records confidentiality; National Practitioner Data Bank querying and reporting; peer review immunities; the effect of hospital business arrangements [e.g., exclusive contracts, mergers, acquisitions] upon medical staff membership and privileges; compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements pertaining to medical staff organizations; and the wide variety of litigation that may arise out of these activities.

Membership - IDEAMembership - IDEA

Nominating CommitteeNominating Committee

Payers, Plans, and Managed Care Practice GroupPayers, Plans, and Managed Care Practice Group

The Payers, Plans, and Managed Care Practice Group addresses all legal issues concerning health plans and insurers, including but not limited to plan operations and management, managed care, litigation, regulations, privacy, and security.

Physician Organizations Practice GroupPhysician Organizations Practice Group

The Physician Organizations Practice Group addresses issues encountered in physician-hospital joint ventures and contractual arrangements; credentialing practices; physician group practice structures; compensation methodologies; and the current professional liability insurance crisis.

Physicians and Hospitals Law Institute Planning CommitteePhysicians and Hospitals Law Institute Planning Committee

Post-Acute and Long Term Services Practice GroupPost-Acute and Long Term Services Practice Group

The Post-Acute and Long-Term Services Practice Group provides a forum for attorneys who represent providers across the entire spectrum of long term care services including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, senior housing, home health, hospice, and long term care pharmacy; follows and addresses developments in the long term care segment of the healthcare industry including legal trends, regulatory policy, and operational and transactional issues; attempts to provide practical analysis of these legal and business trends by producing summaries and brief analyses of forms, models, approaches, structures, and legal analyses relevant to the providers of long term care services; the goal is to keep the members informed of the most up-to date and relevant case law, legislative initiatives, and important trends in the industry.

Practice Groups and Special Councils CommitteePractice Groups and Special Councils Committee

Regulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice GroupRegulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice Group

The Regulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice Group addresses issues related to reimbursement and coverage, including Medicare and other government payor laws, regulations, and instructions, as well as issues related to healthcare organizational accreditation such as JCAHO and other accrediting entity standards.

Tax and Finance Practice GroupTax and Finance Practice Group

The Tax and Finance Practice Group addresses issues related to IRS audits and rulings, tax-exempt status, intermediate sanctions, state regulation of nonprofit transactions and operations, charitable trusts, tax credits, bond financing, physician recruitment incentives, physician and executive compensation, fair market value, joint ventures with nonprofits, IRS disclosure requirements, property tax, sales and use tax, fundraising, and other issues faced by nonprofit and for-profit attorneys.