Overview
Experience
Credentials
Perspectives

Margaret Levi is Counsel for the Firm’s Health Care Service Team. She has more than twenty-five years of experience advising health care providers in the areas of data privacy and cyber security, fraud and abuse, corporate compliance programs, clinical trials, The Joint Commission standards, EMTALA, end of life and other patient care matters. Her clients include hospitals, medical device manufacturers, long-term care facilities, physicians, hospices, and other health care providers.

She is author of four editions of the very popular book The Impact of Health Care Reform on Kentucky Employers published by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. She also frequently contributes to the Wyatt HITECH Law Blog (wyatthitechlaw.com), which focuses on legal developments related to health information technology, privacy and security.

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REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Ms. Levi frequently advises health care providers and other clients on data privacy and cybersecurity.  She has drafted policies and assisted clients with implementing privacy and security programs for compliance with HIPAA/HITECH, information blocking, and state data laws.  She has helped clients develop record retention programs.  She assists clients in responding to data breaches under HIPAA or state data breach laws. She has also drafted and reviewed countless HIPAA business associate agreements for covered entities and business associates.
  • She advises healthcare clients regarding complex healthcare fraud and abuse issues and helps clients structure transactions to comply with the Physician Self-Referral (Stark) Law, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the False Claims Act and similar federal and state fraud and abuse laws.
  • Ms. Levi works with clients to be proactive and implement programs, policies and procedures to comply with new and emerging laws, regulations and standards that are tailored to the client’s needs.
  • She negotiates, drafts and reviews various agreements on behalf of clients, including managed care contracts and clinical trial agreements between industry sponsors and health care institutions.
  • She advises healthcare clients with patient care and risk management issues.
  • She assists clients with state licensing and Medicare and Medicaid certification, including assisting with state pharmacy board licensure for the manufacture and distribution of medical devices and home medical equipment.
  • Ms. Levi also assists with due diligence in connection with the acquisition of health care companies.

EDUCATION

J.D., University of Kentucky College of Law, 1995

  • Moot Court Board

M.A., College of William and Mary, 1991 (English)

B.A., Centre College, National Merit Scholar, 1988 (English)

ADMISSIONS

  • Supreme Court of Kentucky, 1995
  • United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • Adjunct Professor, University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, 2018-present, teaching privacy and security law.
  • General Counsel and Corporate Compliance Officer, Ephraim McDowell Health, Inc., 1999-2009. While at Ephraim, Ms. Levi advised the organization on a variety of day-to-day health law and contracting issues. She was responsible for HIPAA privacy and security implementation, corporate policies, risk management, liability, insurance, workers compensation and corporate compliance, and she was a member of the hospital’s Institutional Review Board.  She negotiated the purchase and sale of hospitals and other health care entities. Ms. Levi successfully lobbied to change the law and then obtained a certificate of need permitting Ephraim to be, at that time, one of two hospitals in Kentucky to perform angioplasty without an open heart surgery program.
  • Adjunct Professor, University of Kentucky College of Law, 1999-2001, teaching legal writing.
  • Attorney, McBrayer, McGinnis, Leslie & Kirkland, PLLC, 1995-1999.  She represented hospitals, home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities and other health care providers in certificate of need and licensing issues. Advised health care clients on compliance with EMTALA, Stark, Anti-Kickback, and other federal laws.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS

  • The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)
  • American Health Law Association, 1995-Present
  • Kentucky Academy of Hospital Attorneys, Board Member
  • Kentucky and American Bar Associations (Chair, Kentucky Health Law Section, 2004-2006)

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT

  • The Gathering Artists, Member, 2020-Present; Co-Chairman, 2023-Present
  • Kentucky State Board for the Certification of Librarians, Member, 2021- Present, Chairperson, 2023-Present
  • Boyle County Public Library District Board of Trustees, President, 2007-2014, 2021 – Present
  • Boyle County Cooperative Extension Service, Council Member, 2016 – Present
  • Danville Library, Inc., Member, 2007 – Present
  • Danville Schools PTO, President, 2019 – Present
  • Danville High School PTO, President, 2019 – Present
  • The Art Center of the Bluegrass, Board of Directors, 2022 – Present
  • Leadership Kentucky, Member Class of 2002
  • City of Danville’s Beautification Committee, Former Member and Past President
  • City of Danville’s Cemetery Committee, Former Member and Past President
  • John W. Bate Middle School PTO, President, 2016 – 2019
  • Rotary Club of Danville, Past President, 2000-2020

PUBLICATIONS

PRESENTATIONS

  • “HIPAA Overview,” Berea, Kentucky, April 18, 2019
  • “HIPAA’s Not Just for Health Care Providers,” Co-presenter with Sherry Porter, webinar, January 31, 2019
  • “American Healthcare: Medical and Legal Challenges Moving Forward,” Centre College, February 15, 2017
  • “Five Important Health Law Issues for General Practitioners,” Kentucky Bar Association’s Kentucky Law Update, Louisville, KY, October 6, 2016
  • “ACA Overview,” Centre College, January 7, 2015
  • “The Affordable Care Act – Where Are We Now?,” Kentucky Bar Association’s Kentucky Law Update, Lexington, KY, October 2, 2014
  • “Recent Developments in the Affordable Care Act (including DOMA Impact),” co-presenter with Sherry Porter, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Lexington, Kentucky, May 28, 2014
  • “Catching Some Sun with CMS – Open Payments Reporting,” contributed to presentation by Kathie McDonald-McClure and Daniel C. Soldato, HCCA Mid Central Regional Annual Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, November 8, 2013
  • “Affordable Care Act:  How Did We Get Here?,” Kentucky Bar Association’s Kentucky Law Update, Bowling Green, Kentucky, November 7, 2013
  • “The Affordable Care Act Seminar:  Roadmap Through Reform,” co-presenter with Sherry Porter and Douglas L. McSwain, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Louisville, Kentucky, November 6, 2013
  • “Affordable Care Act:  How Did We Get Here?,” Kentucky Bar Association’s Kentucky Law Update, Owensboro, Kentucky, October 4, 2013
  • “Overview of Health Care Reform,” co-presenter with Douglas L. McSwain, Kentucky and Greater Louisville Association of Health Underwriters, Louisville, Kentucky, August 28, 2013
  • “Overview of Health Care Reform,” Kentucky Bar Association 2013 Annual Convention, Covington, Kentucky, June 20, 2013
  • “Expanding Access to Health Insurance Under the Affordable Care Act,” Kentucky Hospital Association/Kentucky Academy of Hospital Attorneys 2013 Annual Meeting, Lexington, Kentucky, May 10, 2013
  • “What Employers Need to Know Under the Affordable Care Act,” co-presenter with Sherry P. Porter and Douglas L. McSwain, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Labor and Employment Seminar, Lexington, Kentucky, April 24, 2013
  • “Overview of Health Care Reform,” co-presenter with Douglas L. McSwain, Energy Insurance Agency, Lexington, Kentucky, April 9, 2013
  • “Overview of Health Care Reform,” Frankfort-Bluegrass Chapter of ARMA International, Lexington, Kentucky, March 20, 2013
  • “Overview of Health Care Reform,” co-presenter with Douglas L. McSwain, Commerce Lexington, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky, February 12, 2013
  • “Overview of Health Care Reform for States and Individuals,” Powell-Walton-Milward, Lexington, Kentucky, February 11, 2013
  • “Back to Business: Implementing PPACA Now That The Supreme Court Has Ruled,” Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Lexington, Kentucky, September 12, 2012
  • “The Joint Commission:  What to Expect in 2012,” Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Healthcare Seminar, Lexington, Kentucky, April 27, 2012
  • “New Patient Visitations Standards from The Joint Commission and New Medicare Conditions of Participation,” Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Healthcare Seminar, Lexington, Kentucky, April 27, 2011