M. Steven Lipton, Partner

Steve Lipton focuses on general hospital representation, including hospital operations, physician contracting, regulatory and compliance matters and health care transactions. His practice includes corporate governance, licensing, fraud and abuse, and PACE organizations. Steve also focuses on EMTALA investigations, compliance, training and counseling.

Practice Highlights

• General representation of health care providers and systems in corporate, regulatory, compliance and contracting and transactions, including corporate governance, facility operations, and physician contracting (medical direction, professional services, recruitment and on-call)
• Representing providers in physician alignment strategies, including foundations, clinics, practice management, joint ventures and medical group arrangements
• Representing providers in compliance matters, including counseling, educating and defending providers in Stark, fraud and abuse, EMTALA, licensing, accreditation and certification issues

Additional Qualifications

• Lecturer, U.C. Berkeley School of Public Health, “Legal Issues in Health Care Delivery,”  2004-present
• Staff Counsel, California State Assembly Health Committee, 1973-1977

Presentations
“5150 Workshop for Fresno County Hospitals,” Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, Jan. 2012

“EMTALA and Behavioral Health Care Services,” California Hospital Association Behavioral Health Symposium, Dee. 2011

“EMTALA – the Basics,” California Hospital Association, Oct. 2011

“Swimming in the Deep End, “Life in the Fishbowl,” Southern California Association for Healthcare Risk Management, Palm Springs, CA, May 2011

“Life in the Fishbowl,” Southern California Association for Healthcare Risk Management, Palm Springs, CA,  May 2010

The Healthcare Roundtable (COO Forum), “EMTALA Update,” Memphis, TN,  May 2010

“2010 Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Update,” Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, CA  03.23.10

“Emergency Behavioral Health Patients,” California Hospital Association,  12.01.09

“EMTALA Update,” California Hospital Association—Presentations delivered in Irvine, Burbank and Sacramento, CA,  October 2009

“Potentially Problematic Physician Transactions,” Health Care Webinar Series, 07.28.09

“2009 Health Care Compliance and Regulatory Update,” Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, CA  05.12.09

“Behavioral Health Patients – A Mighty Wind Blows Between EMTALA and State Laws,” California Hospital Association, 12.01.08

“Adverse Events and Immediate Jeopardy,” Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, 06.01.08

“Adverse Events and Immediate Jeopardy,” HASC/DWT Compliance Seminar, 05.01.08

“Adverse Events and Immediate Jeopardy,” HCNCC/DWT Compliance Seminar, 05.01.08

“Behavioral Health Patients, Managing the Challenge. EMTALA Perspective,” Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, 04.01.08

“EMTALA – the Uninsured and the Homeless,” National Congress on Un/Uninsured, Washington, D.C., 12.01.07

“EMTALA and the Homeless Crisis,” California Hospital Association, 11.01.07

“EMTALA/Homeless Dumping,” Moss Adams Annual Client Seminar, 10.01.07

“STAT! As if E.D.s Weren’t Crazy Enough in Themselves…” Hawaii Conference, Health Care Financial Management Association, 04.01.07

“EMTALA and Behavioral Health,” Southern California Mental Health Directors, 07.01.06

“Legal Preparedness for Pandemic Flu Exploring Responses to New Risks,” Public Health Law Program, 04.01.06

“Healthcare Regulation: The Long Road Paved with Good Intentions and Peppered with Potholes,” Society of Professionals in Healthcare, 2006

Books / Publications

“EMTALA, a Guide to Patient Anti-Dumping Laws,” 7th Ed., California Hospital Association, 2009

“New On-Call Options: CMS Rejects EMTALA Expansion,” ED Management, Nov. 2008

“Accepting Emergency Transfers. Making Compliance Easier,” Compliance Today, Health Care Compliance Association, 03.01.08

Professional & Community Activities

• Member, 2003-05; Co-Chair, 2005-06; Health Law Committee, California State Bar Association
• Regional Executive (Region 11), Healthcare Financial Management Association, 2001-02
• President, 1996-97; Board Member, 1989-99, Northern California Chapter – Healthcare Financial Management Association
• Adjunct Professor, University of Southern California School for Public Administration Program, 1984-1994
• Board of Directors, California Center for Public Health Advocacy, 2009-present

Professional Recognition

• Named as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” by Chambers USA in Healthcare: Regulatory & Litigation (National), 2010; Healthcare Law (California), 2005-present.
• Named as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in Health Care Law by Woodward/White, 2001-present; “Lawyer of the Year” (Health Care Law), San Francisco  2010
• Selected to “Northern California Super Lawyers” in Health Care Law, Law & Politics, 2006-present

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