Kathleen Healy

Kathleen G. Healy

Partner

Kathleen G. Healy

Partner

  • Overview

    Biography

    Kathleen "Kate" Healy advises health care entities on transactional and complex health care regulatory matters. She represents a wide range of clients, including hospital systems, behavioral health providers, physician groups, accountable care organizations, clinically integrated networks, data collaboratives and health plans. Kate is a member of the firm’s Health Law Group and the Health Care Industry and Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Teams.

    Kate counsels clients with respect to strategic affiliations, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, including cross-sector ventures, and other transactional matters. Known for her deep knowledge of health care regulations and practical approach, Kate is skilled at helping clients navigate complex health care regulatory frameworks. She advises clients regarding the formation and operation of accountable care organizations and clinically integrated networks, including participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and other innovative payment programs. She regularly advises clients on fraud and abuse matters. Kate’s experience also includes assisting clients with data collaboratives, as well as developing data-sharing agreements and data policies, and advice about secondary uses of data, vendor contracting, electronic data sharing, risk assessments, and data breach responses.

    A former Peace Corps volunteer and project director, Kate’s record reflects a long-standing commitment to community service. She was a member of the Maine health information technology legal work groups, which proposed statutory changes to facilitate the electronic exchange of health information. She was also a member of the Maine Hospital Association work group charged with reviewing advance directive laws and legal forms.

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

      • Advised several health systems in strategic affiliations, including advice with respect to federal and state regulatory approvals*

      • Negotiated joint venture between a national primary care practice and a national health plan*

      • Represented health systems, health plans, and physician group practices in responding to HIPAA/HITECH and state law data breaches, including individual and agency notification obligations, appropriate remediation measures, federal investigations, and corrective action*

      • Advised large health care data repository on HIPAA/HITECH compliance, including data breach analysis, with respect to a multipurpose health care data warehouse formed among a hospital system, health plan, and physician group practice*

      • Analyzed recent state referendum for compliance with HIPAA on behalf of state hospital association*

      • Counseled health care purchaser coalition in the negotiation of value-based health care contracts and prescription benefit management contracts*

      • * Attorney Healy was counsel in these representative transactions prior to joining Robinson+Cole.

    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      International Association of Privacy Professionals
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated in Martindale-Hubbell™ in the area of Health Law (Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings is a trademark. AV Preeminent is a certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc.)

      Selected to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers© list from 2013 to 2015

      Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Health Care Law for 2023. 

  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Publications

      Publications

      "Compliance Corner—The End of the Public Health Emergency: What’s Next for Telehealth?" co-authored with Conor O. Duffy, published in Health Law Connections, the member magazine of the American Health Law Association (May 2023)
      • » more info

        • Compliance Corner—The End of the Public Health Emergency: What’s Next for Telehealth?

        "Compliance Corner—The End of the Public Health Emergency: What’s Next for Telehealth?" co-authored by Kathleen G. Healy and Conor O. Duffy, published in Health Law Connections, the member magazine of the American Health Law Association (May 2023)

        The article points out that COVID-19 has driven increased telehealth access and technology-based health care services, but after grappling with the challenges imposed by the pandemic, health care organizations must now prepare for the upcoming end of the public health emergency. Kate and Conor highlight key legal and compliance issues affecting the delivery and reimbursement of these services going forward. They also strongly urge health care organizations to develop policies for telehealth services for 2023 and 2024, develop an annual telehealth training for providers and staff, and consider effective methods for blending in-person and virtual care delivery, among other key takeaways.

      • View article

      "A New Look at Medicare Advantage: What Lawyers Need to Know to Advise or Contract with Medicare Advantage Plans Now," published in the American Health Law Association's Journal of Health and Life Sciences Law (October 2018)

      "The Emerging Role of Quality in Healthcare Decision-Making and Payments," published in In-House Counselor, produced by the American Health Lawyers Association In-House Practice Group (June 2012)

      "ARRA and Health Information Technology," published in Law360 Expert Analysis (03/17/2009)

    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "Privacy, Security and Telehealth: Protect the Data, Protect the Patient," at the Massachusetts Bar Association's 2022 Health Law Conference (9/30/2022)
      • » more info

        • Privacy, Security and Telehealth: Protect the Data, Protect the Patient

        "Privacy, Security and Telehealth: Protect the Data, Protect the Patient," presented by Kathleen G. Healy, at the Massachusetts Bar Association's 2022 Health Law Conference (9/30/2022)

        The Health Services Administration defines telehealth as “the use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, and public and health administration.” This virtual program focused on telehealth law and legal issues that can arise in areas such as practitioner licensing, insurance, data privacy, access. remote employees, and standards of care. 


      "Medical Records Retention Requirements, Electronic Health Records Privacy and Security Issues, and other Risk Management Issues Related to Healthcare Information," presented by Lorman (2010)

      "Legal Issues in Behavioral Health in Maine," MEDS PEN (May 2006)

      "Health Care Advance Directives: What’s New?" presented by the Maine Hospital Association (April 2008)

      "The Legal Ramifications of Technology Used by Home Care Staff," presented by the Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine (2010)

      "The Use of Protected Health Information in Legal Proceedings," presented by Lorman (2010)

      "Information Blocking: Complying with the New ONC Final Rule," presented by the Massachusetts Hospital Association (2021)

      "Electronic Health Records Privacy and Security Issues," MEDS-PDN Seminar (February 2009)

      "High Tech and Health Care: A Look at Current Legal Issues in Technology that Affect your Client’s Business," presented during the Annual Meeting of the Maine State Bar Association (January 2009)

      "Overview of HIPAA and the Privacy Rule," Lorman HIPAA Audits Seminar (April 2008)

      "Managed Medicaid: What are the Reimbursement Implications for FQHCs?" presented during the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) Regional Conference (11/14/2018)

      "Advance Directives and Treatment Limitation Orders-Practical Guidance for Common Problem Areas," presented by the Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine (2012)

      "The HITECH Act: Ready or Not … Here It Is," presented by the Maine Health Information Management Association (2010)

      "Information Blocking: Complying with the New ONC Final Rule," presented by the Maine Hospital Association (2021)

      "Straight from OCR-An Update on the HIPAA Phase 2 Audits," presented by the Boston Bar Association (2017 and 2016)

      "Get Ready, Get Set: The Race to Comply with the Requirements of the HIPAA Final Omnibus Rule," Get Ready, Get Set: The Race to Comply with the Requirements of the HIPAA Final Omnibus Rule (2013)

      "HIPAA Audits: Auditing Systems Against the Security Rule," presented by the Maine Medical Association (March 2008)

      "A Look at Health Information in the Paper and Electronic Environments," MEDS PEN (March 2007)

    • News

      R+C in the News

      • May 4, 2023

        Kate Healy and Conor Duffy Co-Author American Health Law Association Article on “What’s Next for Telehealth?”

        • » more info

          Kate Healy and Conor Duffy Co-Author American Health Law Association Article on “What’s Next for Telehealth?”

          Health Law Group lawyers Kate Healy and Conor Duffy co-authored the article, “Compliance Corner—The End of the Public Health Emergency: What’s Next for Telehealth?” published in the May issue of Health Law Connections, the member magazine of the American Health Law Association. The article points out that COVID-19 has driven increased telehealth access and technology-based health care services, but after grappling with the challenges imposed by the pandemic, health care organizations must now prepare for the upcoming end of the public health emergency and the resulting new regulatory landscape. Kate and Conor highlight key legal and compliance issues affecting the delivery and reimbursement of these services going forward. The article offers key takeaways for health care organizations including the development of: policies for telehealth services for 2023 and 2024, an annual telehealth training for providers and staff, and effective methods for blending in-person and virtual care delivery. Kate and Conor were assisted on this article by Health Law Group intern Paul Sevigny. Read the full article.

        • View article

      R+C News Releases

      • October 11, 2022

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized in 2022 Super Lawyers®

        • » more info

          Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized in 2022 Super Lawyers®

          A total of 39 Robinson+Cole attorneys were named to Super Lawyers® lists in the States of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island for 2022. In addition, 30 attorneys at the firm were recognized as “Rising Stars.”

          Jeffrey J. White was named to the Top 50: 2022 Connecticut Super Lawyers list. Linda L. Morkan appears on the Top 25: 2022 Women Connecticut Super Lawyers list and, similarly, Natalie D. Ramsey was included in the Top 50: 2022 Women Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list. Read more in the press release.

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      • August 18, 2022

        74 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2023

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          74 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2023

          74 Robinson+Cole lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2023. Of the 74 lawyers from across the firm’s practice groups and offices named to the list, 54 are from Connecticut. The firm continues to have the highest number of recognized lawyers in the state. Robinson+Cole also has the highest number of listed lawyers in Connecticut in the areas of environmental law insurance law and construction litigation. Only the top 5.3 percent of all practicing lawyers in the U.S. were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 29th edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.

          Additionally, the following five lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Brian R. Smith in Land Use and Zoning Law, Christine E. Bromberg in Tax Law, James P. Ray in Litigation – Environmental, Joey Lee Miranda in Energy Regulatory Law, Norman H. Roos in Banking and Finance Law, Rachel V. Kushel in Employment Law – Management, Theodore J. Tucci in  Health Care Law and Virginia E. McGarrity – in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.

          The third edition of Best Lawyers: “Ones to Watch” was also released, includes 23 Robinson+Cole lawyers. The “Ones to Watch” recognition is given to attorneys early in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. The firm has the highest number of lawyers to receive this designation in Hartford, Connecticut. Read more in the press release.

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      • April 8, 2022

        Robinson+Cole Continues Growth in Boston with the Addition of Partners in Health Care and Insurance

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          Robinson+Cole Continues Growth in Boston with the Addition of Partners in Health Care and Insurance

          Robinson+Cole announces the addition of Kathleen G. Healy in its Health Law Group and Health Care Industry Team, and Matthew M. Burke in the firm’s Insurance + Reinsurance Group. Healy joins from Verrill Dana LLP and Burke joins from Robins Kaplan LLP. Both are partners resident in Robinson+Cole’s Boston office.

          “We are excited to welcome Kate and Matt to Robinson+Cole,” said Rhonda J. Tobin, Robinson+Cole’s Managing Partner. “They are talented and successful lawyers who bring significant experience, expertise and depth to some of our most strategic practices. They are natural fits for our strong health care and insurance teams. Adding Kate and Matt furthers our strategic plan by continuing our growth in large commercial centers and in some of our most high-profile practices.” Read more in the press release and in articles published in the Boston Business Journal and Law360.

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