Nelson-Law-Group_Joel-Wakefield

Helping hospitals obtain reimbursement for their uncompensated care through strategic participation in Arizona's disproportionate share and safety net care pools.

Advising health care providers on impact of Arizona Senate Bill 2800 (denies reimbursement for providers who provide abortion services).

Representing health care providers in Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) appeals.

Representing health care providers in criminal and civil investigations related to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.

Updating hospital system compliance program policies and procedures.

Advising health care provider on how best to franchise its business in a manner compliant with health care regulatory laws.

Advising national health care provider management company on day-to-day compliance and operational matters.

Representing provider in Administrative Law Judge appeal of Western Integrity Center review.

Negotiating payor contracts on behalf of providers.

Assisting new provider with Medicare/Medicaid certification process.

Representing provider in professional board investigation.

Representing provider in state licensure enforcement action.

Through our firm's consultants, conducting a mock survey of a hospital that recently lost its Medicare "deemed status" in preparation for a full Medicare certification survey.

Working to obtain federal grants for international rule of law improvement projects.

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
America's Best Lawyers, 2016 to present · America's Most Honored Lawyers 2020-present · America’s Top 100 Bet the Company Litigators (for Arizona) 2021-present · Arizona’s Finest Lawyers 2011-present · AV rated (highest level) Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings · Department of Justice Excellence in Cooperative Law Enforcement Award, 2010 · Attorney General’s Award of Historic Distinction · 2010 President’s HIDTA Award for Most Outstanding Financial Investigative Effort, 2010

EDUCATION
J.D., with honors, The George Washington University National Law Center, Washington, DC · Member, The George Washington Law Review, 1987-88 · B.A., with highest honors, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 1985 Deans List, 1981-85 · Member, Kappa Tau Alpha, journalism honors society

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Arizona State Bar · District of Columbia Bar · Illinois State Bar (inactive)

GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE
Chief Deputy Attorney General, Arizona Attorney General's Office, July 2009 - January 2011 · Candidate for Maricopa County Attorney, February 2008-November 2008 · General Counsel to Governor Janet Napolitano, January 2003-February 2008 · Special Counsel, Arizona Attorney General's Office, October 2000 -January 2003 · Academic legal internship with Sen. Paul Simon, United States Senate Judiciary Committee, 1987-88

PUBLICATIONS
Author: A Victory for Judicial Restraint, Arizona Attorney (May 2004)

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
Arizona’s “Lawyer of the Year” for health care law by Best Lawyers® (2015) · Best Lawyers in America for health care (2006-present) · Arizona’s Finest Lawyers (2011-present) · AV-rated (highest level), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings

EDUCATION

J.D., University of Texas Law School, 1992, cum laude · B.A. , Wellesley College, 1989, magna cum laude

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Arizona State Bar · District of Columbia Bar (inactive)

GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE
Member, EMTALA Technical Advisory Group (TAG), established by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to advise the government on EMTALA related issues · Chair, EMTALA TAG Action Subcommittee · Member, State of Arizona Emergency Room Access Task Force · Member, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Steering Committee on Hospital Diversion · Co-Chair, ADHS Steering Sub-Committee on Overcapacity and Surge Capacity Issues

PUBLICATIONS
Author, Hospital EMTALA Manual (2009) · Co-author, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association EMTALA Manual (1998 and 2004) · Co-author, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Compliance Guide (1997) · Co-author, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Compliance Guide for The Arizona Association of Community Health Centers (1999) · Co-author, The New EMTALA Regulations: Implications of A Different Era, American Bar Association, 2003

EDUCATION
J.D., University of Arizona, 1998, magna cum laude; member, Order of the Coif; member, Arizona Law Review · B.S., Applied Mathematics, University of Arizona, 1995, cum laude

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Health Lawyers Association · Arizona State Bar

GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE
Clerkship, Hon. Thomas A. Zlaket, Chief Justice, Arizona Supreme Court, 1998-99 · Assistant Attorney General representing the Arizona Department of Health Services, Licensing Division

PUBLICATIONS
Co-author, Consent and Health Information Resource Manual (Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, 2009)

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
Best Lawyers in America for Health Care Law (2015-present)

EDUCATION Bachelor of Laws, Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, 2000 · Honors Business Administration, Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, 1997

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Member, American Health Lawyers Association · Board Member, Arizona Association of Healthcare Lawyers (2013-present) · Arizona State Bar

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Co-author, AzHHA Consent Manual (Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, 2004) · Co-author, Consent and Health Information Resource Manual (Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, 2009) ); “Finding Your Way Through Healthcare Reform,” AzHHA Webinar Series (2010); Release of Information Laws: A Refresher (AzHIMA 2012); OCR’s Final Rule on Non-Discrimination in Health Care Programs & Activities and General Compliance Update (AzHHA 2016)

EDUCATION & BAR ADMISSIONS
J.D., University of Chicago, 1991, with honors · B.A., Brigham Young University, 1988 · Admitted in Arizona, 2003

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Assisting hospital and other healthcare clients in the assessment of healthcare reform and the implementation of strategic responses to industry change · Advising the Arizona Hospital and Association on contracting and regulatory issues · Representing hospitals in establishing business relationships with community physicians, including joint ventures, on-call services agreements, and professional services arrangements · Negotiating information systems contracts for hospital and other healthcare clients · Representing a provider-owned health plan in structuring and negotiating business operations · Serving as local counsel for national hospital systems with Arizona facilities, as well as counseling on legal aspects of out-of-state transactions · Drafting and counseling on the development of legislation

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES & RECOGNITIONS
Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Health Care (2011–Present) · Listed in Arizona’s Finest Lawyers (2011-Present) · Listed in Southwest Super Lawyers (2012-Present) · President, Arizona Association of Health Care Attorneys (2004-08); AAHCL Board (2003–present), Annual Meeting Chair (2004) · American Bar Association Health Law Section; Vice-Chair, Fraud and Compliance Interest Group (2009-2010); Co-Chair, Emerging Issues Conference (2007-09); Planning Committee, Emerging Issues Conference (2009) · President, Washington State Society of Healthcare Attorneys (2001); WSSHA Board Member (1999-2002) · Founding member and planning committee member, American Group Practice Association Counsel of Group Practice Attorneys · Fluent in Spanish

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS & SPEECHES
“Finding Your Way Through Healthcare Reform,” AzHHA Webinar Series (2010) · “Healthcare Reform: Lessons for the Emergency Room,” AzHHA EMTALA Seminar (2010) · Relentless Consistency of Change – 7 Things You Need to Know about the Direction of Health Care Law,” HFMA-Arizona Chapter (2010) · “The HITECH Act: The Carrot and the Stick-Paying for the EHR,” AzHHA Webinar (2009) · “Stark Reality – Hacking Our Way through the Health Care Regulatory Jungle,” Health Care Update sponsored by the New Mexico Bar Association and local chapters of the MGMA and HFMA (2009) · “How To Cultivate Mentors and Other Survival Tips For Any Organization,” Arizona State Bar Leadership Institute (2009) · “The New Stark Rules: Analysis and Application,” (Moderator) ABA Emerging Issues in Health Care Law Conference (2009) · “A Hospital and Its On-Call Physicians: Doing What’s Right Without Doing Anything Wrong,” AzHHA EMTALA Seminar (November 2009) · “Fundamentals of a Health Care Transaction,” ABA Emerging Issues in Health Care Law Conference (2008) · “Stark Reality – Phase III Final Rules and Beyond,” AzHHA Webinar (2007) · “Stark Reality – Phase III Final Rules and Beyond – Changes for Hospital/Physician Relationships,” Teleconference for AzHHA (October 2007) · “Document Retention: A Quick Reference Guide,” Journal of Health Care Law, (Fall, 2004) · Arizona Consent and Health Information Resource Manual, co-author (2004, 2009)

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