Kathleen L. DeBruhl & Associates, L.L.C.

Kathleen L. DeBruhl is the owner of the firm of Kathleen L. DeBruhl & Associates, L.L.C.  Ms. DeBruhl’s practice focuses on the representation of healthcare providers, and in particular, physicians and their legal issues. Ms. DeBruhl’s multi-state clients include healthcare providers, specialty hospitals, medical staffs, ambulatory surgery centers, durable medical equipment providers, imaging facilities, and radiation oncology centers. She possesses extensive expertise in a variety of healthcare areas, including substantial experience in general healthcare law, managed care contracts, physician practices, recruitment and contracting, antitrust, Medicare and Medicaid certification and reimbursement, audits and appeals, fraud and abuse, mergers and acquisitions, and the development of ancillary services and joint ventures such as ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and specialty hospitals.

Ms. DeBruhl is particularly experienced in providing strategic planning and advice to healthcare clients to build and develop healthcare projects, including organization of healthcare entities, joint ventures, construction, financing, management structures and investor syndication. She has developed integrated delivery systems, including PHOs and IPAs, physician specialty hospitals, and has facilitated the complex mergers of multiple physician practices. Her healthcare practice and expertise also spans both state and federal regulatory issues, including Medicare fraud and abuse enforcement and compliance issues, state fraud and abuse matters, insurance industry fraud and compliance, and federal Qui Tam ("Whistleblower") defense.

Ms. DeBruhl also serves as outside counsel to the LSU Healthcare Network, the private faculty group practice of the LSU Health Sciences and School of Medicine in New Orleans.  Ms. DeBruhl was the initial counsel to organize the faculty group practice and obtained its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation.  Ms. DeBruhl has also served as special counsel to other academic medical centers.

Ms. DeBruhl has contributed her expertise as a co-author of national publications regarding the legal representation of physicians and speaks at regional and national seminars and conferences for both legal and healthcare associations.  She is rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell® for fifteen years and was recognized as a Top Lawyer in Healthcare in the New Orleans Area by New Orleans Magazine in 2009.