Chair of the Legal Committee

I am an attorney who has represented healthcare providers for over 20 years.  In doing so, I often get personally and emotionally involved with the organizations I represent and their professional and charitable missions for providing and improving healthcare.  When asked to serve on the Houston Area Immunization Partnership's Board, I was excited because it offered me, not only the opportunity to meet new, dedicated, community-minded public and private healthcare organizations, but also the opportunity to actually participate and assist them in the mission of promoting immunizations in my community and eradicating vaccine preventable diseases.

Biography

Barron P. Bogatto's practice centers almost exclusively in the provision of comprehensive legal services to the health care industry. Since beginning practice in 1986, he has advised health care providers of all types in matters relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and other governmental program laws and regulations; reimbursement controversies; administrative appeals; corporate, real estate, and other business transactions; compliance matters; operational and employment matters; and the formation and operation of provider networks. Mr. Bogatto also has substantial experience regarding regulatory issues and restrictions including, but not limited to, health care fraud and abuse, false claims, and physician anti-referral matters affecting health care joint ventures and integrated delivery systems; hospital/physician relationships; and hospitals, clinics, and other providers.

In his practice, Mr. Bogatto regularly handles reimbursement disputes with Medicare and Medicaid agencies and appeals before the Provider Reimbursement Review Board; healthcare joint ventures; mergers and acquisitions; tax-exempt financings; limited partnership formation and offerings; creating and restructuring business organizations and provider networks; creating and implementing compliance plans and conducting internal investigations; representing providers in matters involving CMS and the OIG; negotiating and drafting various healthcare contracts (e.g., loan agreements, leases, master leases, subleases, construction contracts, employment and non-competition agreements, physician practice acquisition documents, health facility sale and lease documents, full service management agreements, managed care and capitation contracts, etc.), and issuance of relevant legal opinions relating to such matters.

Mr. Bogatto has actively represented national health care systems; individual hospitals (including for profit, non-profit, specialty, and academic); home health care agencies; rural health clinics; imaging centers; ambulatory surgery centers; cancer treatment facilities and a proton therapy center; individual physicians and dentists; clinics and large physician single and multi-specialty groups; and biotechnology companies.

Memberships

Mr. Bogatto is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, an honorary society chartered by the Supreme Court of Texas to recognize and represent lawyers who make an extraordinary commitment to professional education. He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas' Health Law and Real Estate Sections, the American Bar Association's Health and Business Law Sections, the American Health Lawyers Association, the Health Care Financial Management Association, the Health Care Compliance Association, and the Houston Bar Association. Mr. Bogatto is listed in the "Red Book" as a bond counsel. He is a past President and former council member of the Houston Bar Association's Health Law Section and he is a current member of the Outreach Committee of the State Bar of Texas Health Law Section.

Awards

Mr. Bogatto is listed in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 editions of The Best Lawyers in America under Health Care Law.

Admitted

Texas, 1986

Education

B.A., The University of Texas at Austin
J.D., University of Houston Law Center

Publications & Speaking Engagements

Mr. Bogatto has authored articles and e-Alerts on various health law topics and is a frequent lecturer including presentations for the Texas Association for Healthcare Financial Administration, the Texas Hospital Association, the State Bar of Texas Health Law Section, Baylor College of Medicine/Rice University Executive Education Program, Texas Society of CPAs, and the University of Houston Law Center's Health Law Institute.