Vincenzo Carannante

Vincenzo Carannante is a partner in the firm’s Health Law Practice Group. As outside legal counsel, Vincenzo represents clients across the health care industry, including hospitals and health systems, pharmacies, telemedicine providers, optical providers, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), behavioral health providers, substance-use disorder providers, clinical laboratories, residential care homes, home health agencies, physician practices and individual practitioners. He also advises private equity companies, insurance companies and other investors on the acquisition of–or investments in–for-profit and not-for-profit service providers.

He provides end-to-end transactional, regulatory, compliance and dispute-resolution counsel to local, regional and national health care providers and related entities. In addition to his significant experience in traditional business, regulatory, and compliance matters–including health care mergers, acquisitions, financing, licensure and accreditation, and responses to federal and state agency investigations–Vincenzo frequently speaks, writes and advises clients on rapidly emerging issues and developing opportunities in areas such as telemedicine and the corporate practice of medicine.

Vincenzo provides practical, sophisticated counsel in the following:

Health Care Transactions, Finance and Operations

Today’s providers operate under an ever-increasing regulatory burden. Vincenzo provides compliance counsel on the full spectrum of applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including:

• HIPAA and related health information privacy requirements
• Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, including fraud and abuse, Anti-kickback, Stark Law and False Claims Act matters
• Corporate practice of medicine doctrine
• Facility licensure and enrollment

Health Care Regulatory Compliance, Licensure and Credentialing

Today’s providers operate under an ever-increasing regulatory burden. Vincenzo provides compliance counsel on the full spectrum of applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including:

• HIPAA and related health information privacy requirements
• Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, including fraud and abuse, Anti-kickback, Stark Law and False Claims Act matters
• Corporate practice of medicine doctrine
• Medical staff and facility licensure and credentialing
• Quality of care, quality improvement and quality assessment programs

Health Care Administrative Disputes

In his transactional and regulatory compliance practice, Vincenzo helps clients preemptively identify, address and prevent potential disputes. When unforeseen events do arise, such as agency audits and investigations, he provides effective legal representation with a keen eye toward helping clients minimize exposure and negotiate an effective resolution. Vincenzo has represented clients before a number of state and federal agencies, including the:

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General
• U.S. Department of Justice
• U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration
• Connecticut Attorney General’s Office
• Connecticut Office of Health Strategy
• Connecticut Department of Public Health
• Connecticut Department of Social Services

He has handled numerous CMS/DPH investigations and hearings, prepared various corrective action plans and negotiated consent orders on behalf of health care facilities and providers. In addition to representing clients’ interests before government entities, Vincenzo has advised clients in connection with the activities of fiscal intermediaries and government-contracted auditors.

Health Care Transactions, Finance and Operations

Vincenzo advises clients at every step of the business lifecycle, helping them establish and finance new and existing facilities, negotiate and document transactions, streamline operations, and draft contracts and affiliation agreements in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements. Among other matters, he has provided counsel and regulatory due diligence in connection with:

• Formation of for-profit and not-for-profit entities
• Mergers, acquisitions, affiliations, joint ventures, physician/hospital strategic alliances and other combinations
• Debt, equity, tax-credit and related financings
• Real estate acquisitions and land-use and zoning approvals
• Sales, divestitures, ownership transfers and unwindings
• Termination of services

He regularly counsels clients on all Connecticut Office of Health Strategy-related matters and proceedings, including applying for certificates of need (CONs) for the establishment of a new or the sale/transfer of ownership of an existing health care facility. He has helped clients manage more than 100 CON matters, including challenging applications filed by other parties. He also advises clients in conjunction with corporate and medical staff governance and day-to-day operational concerns.

Prior to joining the firm, Vincenzo was a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas A. Bishop of the Connecticut Appellate Court.