Description

VNS Health, one of the nation’s largest non-profit home and community-based health care organizations, is seeking a seasoned healthcare attorney to fill the role of Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Provider Services.  Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Risk Officer, the successful candidate will act as the lead lawyer for VNS Health’s provider organization including its home health, behavioral health, and hospice lines of business.  This role will provide hands-on counsel to VNS executive leadership and management on a wide range of legal issues affecting provider operations including but not limited to member, patient, and care-delivery issues; patient admission and discharge, regulatory issues, documentation and risk mitigation, patient workflows and advice in handling difficult-to-serve patients. The candidate will also work with management and staff to oversee outside counsel with respect to Medicaid and Medicare fair hearings and issues around care coordination, service delivery and termination. The candidate will apprise management on the legal impact of legislative and regulatory developments affecting the policies and operations of VNS Health. In addition, in the role you will assist in the management of the provider related professional liability claims docket including working with outside defense counsel in all aspects of responding to and defending professional liability matters as well as leading for legal defense.  The successful candidate will have strong legal acumen as evidenced by no less than 8 years of relevant healthcare experience through a combination of law firm and/or in-house experience.  A strong track record in both supporting and advising a provider healthcare organization and management of a large litigation docket will be a plus.  The successful candidate will have direct access to and engagement with senior leadership across the organization such that strong communication skills, business acumen and leadership skills are imperative.  

Requirements

• Provides hands-on counsel on a range of legal issues affecting the provider operations of VNS Health including but not limited to patient admission and discharge, regulatory issues, documentation and risk mitigation, patient workflows and advice in handling difficult-to-serve patients.
• Identifies and analyzes legal issues, drafts key documents, presents clear recommendations, and assures legal compliance.
• Counsel management and staff on member, patient, and care-delivery issues.
• Works with management and staff and oversees outside counsel with respect to Medicaid and Medicare fair hearings and issues around care coordination, service delivery and termination.
• Keeps abreast and apprises management of the legal impact of legislative and regulatory developments affecting the policies and operations of VNS Health.
• Assists in the management of the provider related professional liability claims docket including working with outside defense counsel in all aspects of responding to and defending professional liability matters as well as leading for legal defense.
• Coordinates the services of, and interacts with, outside legal counsel and collaborates internally with Risk and Compliance staff.
• Management of day to day legal operations function within the Legal department as assigned.
• May serve as Privacy Officer for the enterprise overseeing all ongoing activities related to the development, implementation, maintenance of, and adherence to VNS Health’s policies and procedures governing the privacy of, and access to, patient health information and other sensitive personal identifiable information.