Industry-leading insights. Forward momentum.
Healthcare litigation, compliance, and investigation risks aren’t slowing down – and neither should your strategy. Health Lit Forum 2025 delivers the high-impact legal and regulatory insights that you need to navigate what’s happening now and what’s coming next.
This is the premier conference for health and life sciences leaders with a vested interest in preventing, managing, and responding to litigation, compliance, and regulatory enforcement issues. It's where relationships are built, strategies are shaped, and complexity finds clarity.
Two ways to engage:
In Chicago or virtually!
Agenda
All times are in CDT.
Tuesday, October 28
8:15 – 8:45 am
Registration and networking breakfast (in–person only)
8:45 – 8:50 am
Opening remarks
8:50 – 9:45 am
FCA and AKS landscape: Enforcement signals and strategic responses
Recent developments, including DOJ and HHS False Claims Act (FCA) working group, signal a continued and potentially increased emphasis on FCA enforcement, especially in key priority areas for the current administration. This panel will explore how traditional areas of focus like the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and emerging DOJ priorities are driving enforcement and share best practices for adapting compliance strategies to respond to these pressures.
Speakers
- Mary DeBartolo | Senior Associate General Counsel | Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
- Matthew Knowles | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Drew McCormick | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Kate Proctor | Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel | Omnia Healthcare Group
- Mara Theophila | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
9:45 – 10:45 am
Navigating rising enforcement risks
In today’s rapidly changing enforcement environment, one thing remains certain: healthcare and life sciences organizations continue to face intensified scrutiny and rising risk of government action. This panel will explore emerging enforcement trends and areas of government interest, strategies for managing the increased risk, and proactive options in responding to government investigations and actions, such as affirmative litigation against the government. Attendees will walk away with practical insights to help shape future legal strategy in the face of expansive enforcement efforts.
Speakers
- Carl Bergetz | General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer | Rush University System for Health
- Emily Cook | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Sarah Hogarth | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Nicole Klug | Chief Legal Officer | Sound Physicians
- Tony Maida | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
10:45 – 11:00 am
Networking break (in–person only)
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Emerging tech and novel enforcement: Trends in healthcare litigation
From state attorneys general ramping up investigations to rising litigation risks around artificial intelligence (AI) governance and data privacy, the industry’s legal landscape continues to shift as our world changes. This panel will deliver need-to-know information on the top trends shaping healthcare litigation and regulatory enforcement, including the latest in DOJ, HHS, and state regulator priorities. Attendees will walk away with practical guidance on how in-house legal and compliance teams can anticipate and adjust to evolving enforcement priorities tied to innovation and digital infrastructure, including the use of AI.
Speakers
- Charles Overstreet | Senior Managing Director | FTI Consulting
- Jennifer Routh | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Alexander Southwell | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Mike Stanek | Associate Vice President and Assistant General Counsel | Eli Lilly and Company
- Viktoriya Torchinsky-Field | Chief Counsel, Business Litigation and Hospital Operations, University of Maryland Medical System
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Executive insights: How CLOs are leading through legal and regulatory change
Sitting at the intersection of legal risk and business strategy, chief legal officers (CLOs) are facing a new era of complexity. Hear directly from industry CLOs on how they navigate rising enforcement activity, internal pressures, and shifting regulatory expectations while leading enterprise-wide risk strategies. The panelists will reflect on today’s board and executive priorities, the role of legal and compliance in corporate culture, and where they see the biggest opportunities – and challenges – ahead.
Speakers
- Annie McGuire | General Counsel and Chief People Officer | Veracyte
- Jerry Perchik | Chief Legal Officer and Secretary | Aveanna
- Tracey Scraba | General Counsel | Rula
Moderator
- Monica Wallace | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
1:00 – 1:45 pm
Networking lunch (in–person only)
1:45 – 2:15 pm
Breakout session A | Healthcare antitrust: Continuity vs. change in enforcement and regulation (in–person only)
Learn how state and federal antitrust regulators are expanding their enforcement approaches in unexpected ways to respond to rising healthcare costs, consolidation, and competition concerns. This breakout session will discuss the latest developments in federal, state, and private antitrust enforcement, as well as trends in state healthcare transaction notice filing requirements and reporting – and how to navigate and anticipate challenges.
Speakers
- Sarah Kitchell | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Stephen Wu | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
Breakout session B | Lessons learned from a Medicare fraud trial acquittal (in–person only)
Unpack a rare DOJ criminal case involving alleged Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment upcoding, as the defense counsel and data expert examine the flawed theories that the prosecution relied on and how the defense won a complete acquittal. This breakout session will highlight key takeaways for legal and compliance teams around claims data, coding practices, and responding to aggressive enforcement tactics.
Speakers
- Franklin Monsour Jr. | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Benjamin Scher | Partner | Bates White
2:20 – 2:50 pm
Breakout session | CMS reimbursement audits and appeals: risk mitigation and enforcement trends (in–person only)
Examine key enforcement priorities and trends in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement audits, walk through real-world case studies, and discuss practical strategies for preparation, audit management, and effective appeals to reduce risk and improve outcomes.
Speakers
- Steven Schnell | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Rita Ratner | Managing Director | Farragut Square Group
2:55 – 3:25 pm
Breakout session A | Compliance and ethics programs: continuous improvement in a shifting global landscape (in–person only)
Explore how the latest US enforcement priorities, new laws outside the US such as the UK’s Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), and heightened international cooperation are reshaping compliance program expectations. This breakout session will cover what these changes mean for risk assessments, programmatic resourcing, and staying ahead of emerging enforcement and economic pressures.
Speakers
- Simon Airey | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Caitlin Sheard | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
Breakout session B | Gender-affirming care policies and enforcement (in–person only)
Get up to speed on the rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape surrounding gender-affirming care and hear how organizations are managing compliance risk and navigating increased scrutiny with actionable strategies.
Speakers
- Gregory Fosheim | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Travis Jackson | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Sagar Ravi | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Breakout session A | Information blocking crackdown (in–person only)
Understand how information blocking regulations are being enforced by the government and by data requestors through civil litigation, with a focus on practical strategies to defend data-sharing decisions.
Speakers
- James Cannatti III | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Daniel Gottlieb | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Mark Pearlstein | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
Breakout session B | Medicare Advantage under scrutiny (in–person only)
Take a closer look at the enforcement patterns in Medicare Advantage – from risk adjustment audits and marketing practices to Medicare Loss Ratio compliance and Part D oversight – through recent case studies that highlight the government’s increased focus on managed care programs.
Speakers
- Jeremy Earl | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
- Laura McLane | Partner | McDermott Will & Schulte
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Networking cocktail reception (in–person only)
Why attend
Whether you're tuning in virtually for high-value content or joining us onsite for deeper conversations, Health Lit Forum 2025 will equip you with the insights and momentum your organization needs to move forward.
- Get ahead of the enforcement and litigation trends shaping the industry with curated CLE sessions
- Tackle real-world challenges through exclusive in-person breakout discussions and meaningful networking with peers and partners who know the landscape
- Walk away with practical tools to reduce exposure, strengthen compliance, and inform strategic decisions
Who’s attending: Senior legal, compliance, and business executives from leading healthcare providers, payors, and private equity portfolio and life sciences companies
What past attendees are saying:
“I thought this was an absolutely top-notch event with really engaging speakers, excellent topics, and specific, actionable ideas. I'm very much looking forward to attending next year.”
“With speakers from many different areas and with different perspectives on each subject and practical strategies, I know I'm walking away with helpful things that I can put into practice.”
“Great conference. Excellent topics, very useful. It was great to have clients presenting and hearing their perspectives.”
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