Overview
Chelsea Rutherford advises a wide range of clients across the healthcare industry on complex regulatory and transactional matters, primarily focusing on healthcare fraud and abuse, billing and reimbursement, and other general compliance analyses. She has devoted much of her practice to physician group practice, transaction structuring and compensation compliance matters, particularly in connection with the federal Stark Law requirements. She also regularly works with physician practice management platforms and practices to tailor physician compensation and compliance plans both in and out of the transaction context.
Chelsea represents clients in a wide variety of government audits and enforcement actions, including Medicare-related suspension and revocation actions. This experience has included developing and negotiating corporate integrity agreements, corrective action plans and self-disclosures. Chelsea also provides strategic advice to clients on general compliance as well as sector-specific regulatory issues, including clinical research compliance and DMEPOS supplier standards.
Results
- Assisted health systems, hospitals, physician practices and other suppliers as they manage internal and external audits, investigations, self-disclosures and voluntary refunds
- Successfully appealed Medicare payment suspensions and other adverse actions for DMEPOS suppliers, clinical laboratory entities, behavioral health providers, emergent care facilities, home health and hospice providers, hospitals and physician group practices
- Provided strategic advice to private equity and other investors throughout the life cycle of a deal including transaction planning, structuring for compliance with regulatory and billing requirements, diligence evaluation and management as well as post-closing assessments, recommendations and execution
- Counseled clients on various clinical research compliance, contracting and compensation matters
Recognitions
- American Health Lawyers Association, 2014 Pro Bono Champion
- The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Healthcare Law, Washington, DC, 2024
Community
Credentials
Education
Boston University School of Law, JD, cum laude, 2014
Columbia University, MS, 2012
University of Virginia, BA, with distinction, 2009
Admissions
District of Columbia
Maryland
