Jennifer Csik Hutchens
Jennifer Csik Hutchens
Jennifer Csik Hutchens
Partner and Global Leader - Healthcare & Life Sciences Team
Biography
Jennifer Hutchens is the global leader of the Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice. She represents healthcare providers, ancillary service providers, licensed agencies, non-profits, management services organizations, medical device companies and other industry-based clients of all sizes. In the midst of this complex and highly technical regulatory landscape, clients rely on Jennifer to help achieve their strategic, operational and compliance goals.
Jennifer builds and maintains long-term relationships with clients and is a trusted partner and adviser. She has a strong passion for the healthcare and life sciences industries and particularly excels in advising clients as they implement novel, first-of-their-kind solutions and transactions. She regularly advises clients on topics of health innovation, including artificial intelligence (AI), telehealth and concierge medicine. Jennifer also exceeds in assisting companies pivoting their business into the healthcare and life sciences industries for the first time, providing client intelligent solutions.
Jennifer has deep experience interpreting federal and state healthcare guidance, including the Anti-Kickback and Stark laws, corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting prohibitions, federal Physician Sunshine Transparency Act, surprise/balance billing laws and price transparency rules.
Jennifer's transactional practice is focused on joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and other affiliation and collaboration transactions, as well as healthcare contracting matters (professional services, managed and value-based care, and other arrangements).
Civic Involvement & Honors
- North Carolina Super Lawyers - Health Care, 2024
- Best Lawyers of America - Healthcare Law, 2015 -2024
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Business Lawyers - Healthcare, 2018-2023
- Career Choices in the Law (Charlotte Mecklenburg Middle Schools) - Mentor, 2023
- North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Healthcare Power List, 2023
- Duke Alumni Admissions Program - Admissions Interviewer, 2007-present
- Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation - Scholar & Alumna, 1999-present
- Toyota Scholars - Scholar & Alumna, 1999-present
- North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star - Healthcare, 2013-2021
- Charlotte Healthcare Law Lawyer of the Year, 2018
- Mecklenburg County Bar Young Lawyers Division - Young Lawyer of the Year, 2011
American Health Law Association
- Board of Directors, 2023-present
- Development and Advancement Council, 2020-2023
- Nominating Committee, 2019-2020
- Fundamentals in Health Law Conference Planning Committee, 2017-2023
- Governance Advisory Council, 2017-2019
- Young Professionals Delegate to Board, 2016-2017
- Young Professionals Council - Chair 2014-2016, Vice-Chair 2013-2014
- Hospital and Health Systems Practice Group Leadership Development Program, 2012-2021
- Best Practices Health Law Curriculum Steering Committee, 2014
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity - Fellow, 2021
North Carolina Bar Association
- Member, 2009-present
- Health Law Section Council - Chair 2017-2018
- Vice Chair, 2016-2017
- Secretary, 2015-2016
- Treasurer, 2014-2015
North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys
- Member, 2013-present
- Education Committee, 2013-2016
American College of Healthcare Executives, Member
Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry Foundation, Member
Greater Charlotte Healthcare Executives, Member
American Bar Foundation Fellow
Admissions
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North Carolina, 2007
Education
Duke University-School of Law, J.D., Order of the Coif, summa cum laude, 2007
Duke University, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, 2003
Related Practice Areas
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M&A & Corporate Finance
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Public Policy & Government Affairs
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Private Equity
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Non Profit Organizations
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False Claims Act
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Corporate
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Investigations
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Public Sector
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Healthcare & Life Sciences
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Commercial Contracts
Experience
Strategic, Operational and Compliance Counsel
- Serves as strategic counselor to preeminent retailer for pet products, supplies, and prescriptions, including related to health, insurance and pharma platform offerings.
- Provides risk mitigation strategies and best practice advice and guidance to clients as they implement evolving and disruptive technologies, including the implementation of artificial intelligence-informed software and solutions.
- Counsels a variety of healthcare industry clients in connection with telemedicine, digital health, remote patient monitoring/prescribing and virtual care (e.g., informed consent, state professional licensure, scope of practice, corporate practice, telemedicine credentialing and reimbursement). Including specific experience with dentistry, dermatology, and veterinary medicine, among other sub-specializations.
- Interprets federal and state healthcare guidance in connection with surprise/balance billing and transparency for hospitals and health systems, laboratories, radiology platforms and other ancillary service providers.
- Offers best practices advice and guidance to clients pursuing concierge or other alternative medical practice models, ranging from provider/patient contracts and related policies and procedures, to compliance (including federal law issues such as Medicare billing (opt out) rules as well as unique state law issues such as scope of practice, corporate practice, fee-splitting and insurance laws).
- Counseled national radiology platform and its affiliated practices and service lines on a variety of corporate, healthcare, operational and regulatory matters.
- Provided comprehensive counsel to a North Carolina hospital in connection with its pilot virtual hospital program offering for orthopedic patient recovery.
- Led healthcare due diligence review and analysis on behalf of an international public healthcare company for its $2 billion acquisition of a home dialysis equipment maker.
- Serves as local regulatory counsel in connection with large transactions, advising out-of-state buyers/sellers on state and local laws and regulations in the Carolinas.
Outside General Counsel
- Served as outside general counsel to the national testing organization for the profession of optometry.
- Served as outside general counsel to an innovative joint venture – composed of 12 health systems – formed to operate a provider-led and patient-centered health plan participating in the North Carolina Managed Medicaid Program.
- Served as outside general counsel to a North Carolina critical access hospital, providing advice on legal, transactional and strategic matters.
- Served as outside general counsel to a collaborative business venture between seven behavioral health providers pursuing innovation in care in North Carolina.
Transaction/Corporate Healthcare Counsel
- Advises healthcare industry stakeholders (including providers and professional and trade organizations) in the development of business relationships, affiliations, combinations and integrations.
- Represented a national healthcare corporation in the negotiation and development of joint venture operations with other hospitals and physician partners.
- Counseled a national healthcare corporation in its purchases of a wide range of business operations, including dialysis clinics, vascular access centers and physician practice management services.
- Assisted with corporate representation of a North Carolina insurance company in acquiring minority interest in an urgent care company with multistate clinic operations.
Resources
Publications
A selection of written insights:
- “Regulatory Reform Could Hasten Transition to Value-Based Care”, October 2018, Hospitals & Health Systems RX, AHLA Newsletter
- “Legal and Operational Guide for Free Medical Clinics”, Sept. 16, 2015, AHLA and AMA
Speaking Engagements
A selection of events:
- Health Care Buzz in 2023: What You Need to Know to be a Good Partner
Home Medical Equipment National Conference (Charlotte, NC)
October 23, 2023 - Primer on Health Care Transactions: In-House and Outside Counsel Conversations
AHLA Health Care Transactions Conference (Nashville, TN)
April 17-19, 2023 - Mentorship – What Works, What Doesn’t and Where to Begin
AHLA webinar
June 24, 2021 - AKS and Stark Law 2021 Updates: Driving Innovation
Client webinar
May 7, 2021 - Telehealth, Remote Care and Home Care – Legal and Practical Considerations
i2i Center for Integrative Health webinar
Dec. 2, 2020 - The Fundamentals of Health Care Transactions
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 13, 2020 - Deeper Dive into Health Care Transactions: Adding Value in Deal Negotiations
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 13, 2020 - COVID-19 Behavioral Health Virtual Roundtable Series: What’s Next?
Client webinar
July 21, 2020 - COVID-19 Behavioral Health Virtual Roundtable Series: Deeper Dive on Employment and Labor
Client webinar
May 13, 2020 - Health Care Practice Group Virtual Roundtable Series: COVID-19 & Medical Practices
Client webinar
May 1, 2020 - COVID-19 Behavioral Health Virtual Roundtable Series: Telehealth Deeper Dive
Client webinar
April 30, 2020 - Behavioral Health Virtual Roundtable Series: Protecting Your Organization and COVID-19
Client webinar
April 16, 2020 - Health Care Practice Group Virtual Roundtable Series: Innovative Businesses Shift to Respond to COVID-19
Client webinar
April 9, 2020 - Behavioral Health Virtual Roundtable Series: COVID-19 & NC’s Behavioral Health Industry
Client webinar
April 3, 2020 - Legal Updates 2019: Forging a Path Forward in a Time of Change
i2i Center for Integrative Health Conference (Pinehurst, NC)
Dec. 4, 2019 - The Fundamentals of Health Care Transactions
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 17, 2019 - Deeper Dive into Health Care Transactions: Adding Value in Deal Negotiations
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 17, 2019 - The Path to Trusted Health Care Law Advisor
AHLA Annual Meeting (Boston, MA)
June 26, 2019 - The Fundamentals of Health Care Transactions
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 13, 2018 - Deeper Dive into Health Care Transactions: Adding Value in Deal Negotiations
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 13, 2018 - The Fundamentals of a Health Care Transaction
AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference (Chicago, IL)
Nov. 15, 2016
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