Health law.

AuthorChiu, Charmaine T.M.
PositionAnnual Reports of Sections and Divisions of The Florida Bar

Constituted in 1988, the Health Law Section, which is currently 1,700 members strong, has been committed for nearly three decades to the education of and communication between attorneys practicing in the complex and dynamic field of health care law. This was a robust and productive year for the section, marked by federal and state law developments heralding how this legal subspecialty is becoming increasingly critical for clients and the general public alike, as health care now occupies over 17 percent of the U.S. economy.

The section kicked off the year with a lecture during the 2015 annual convention in Boca Raton titled, Master Class: The U.S. Supreme Court's Decision in King v. Burwell and the Impact on Health Care in America, given by Jonathan H. Adler, Johan Verheij Memorial Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University. Professor Adler is the scholar widely credited with discovering the legal theory that had the potential to tank the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and co-authored an amicus curiae brief submitted to the Court in the matter. The section could not have timed Professor Adler's lecture more perfectly; mere minutes prior to his presentation, the Court announced its decision in King v. Burwell, keeping the ACA and tax credits for those purchasing health care insurance from federally sponsored exchanges intact. Attendees, who had been anxiously monitoring SCOTUSblog and other sources all morning, had the opportunity to hear firsthand Professor Adler's reaction to this momentous decision.

Indeed, CLE programs have historically been a centerpiece for the section. Myla R. Reizen, chair of Continuing Legal Education, must be commended this year for her leadership in overseeing the section's CLE offerings. The section sponsored four in-person CLE programs throughout the year. On September 18, 2015, the section hosted the seventh annual FUNdamentals of Health Law program, organized by program Chairs James M. Barclay and Barry S. Herri. This year's focus on Lawyers at the Bedside: The Intersection of Legal and Medical Ethics covered topics such as end-of-life decisionmaking and ethical dilemmas faced by hospital medical staff.

On November 5, 2015, the section hosted its annual Health Care Regulatory and Compliance program, organized by program Chairs Myla R. Reizen and Grant P. Dearborn, addressing timely developments, such as recent changes to Stark Law rules and trends in False Claims Act settlements between health care...

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