Healthcare Fraud Enforcement Under a New Administration: Increasing Criminal and Civil Actions, Mitigating Client Risk

Ms. Barnes counsels clients in high-stakes matters related to fraud allegations, including in healthcare, federal contract procurement, and securities and financial services. A former trial attorney with the U.S. DOJ, she has extensive experience handling issues related to compliance, white-collar and regulatory investigations, and complex commercial litigation. Ms. Barnes represents businesses in public and non-public investigations, regulatory inquiries, and proceedings involving federal and state agencies. She frequently assists clients navigating government investigations related to allegations arising under the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and FIRREA. Ms. Barnes is also a recognized leader in her practice, frequently participating in various speaking engagements and authoring articles on critical topics such as cybersecurity, government contract billing, financial data rights, and developments related to the FCA. 

Mr. Porter focuses on white collar criminal defense, federal investigations brought under the False Claims Act, and litigation against the government and whistleblowers, with an emphasis on matters within the healthcare industry. As a former federal prosecutor with the DOJ, he was a key member of multiple international healthcare fraud takedowns and prosecuted a series of high-profile financial crime cases. Mr. Porter also handled major civil investigations and litigation against companies and individuals under the False Claims Act, resulting in record-breaking settlements and judgments. He now uses that experience to guide clients through federal investigations of all kinds, to litigate cases against and involving the government, and to run effective and right-sized internal investigations for corporations. Many of Mr. Porter’s clients are in the healthcare industry, including health systems, physician groups, and other healthcare companies, along with medical professionals and executives. He serves as a vice chair of the American Health Law Association’s Fraud and Abuse Practice Group.

Ms. Sorensen builds on her previous experience at the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General of the Department of HHS to assist clients with health care regulatory, compliance, and fraud and abuse matters. She focuses her practice on health care fraud and abuse and compliance matters, including the Anti-Kickback Statute. Ms. Sorensen assists clients in False Claims Act investigations, negotiating FCA settlements and corporate integrity agreements, and matters that fall under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law and OIG exclusion authorities. She helps clients develop compliance programs and implement corporate integrity agreements. Ms. Sorensen previously served as chief of the Administrative and Civil Remedies Branch in the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG) at HHS. She served as the OCIG’s coordinator for both the Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol and the Physicians at Teaching Hospitals national project and also served the OCIG as senior counsel and deputy branch chief.