Partner, Atlanta
303 Peachtree Street, NE
Suite 5300
Atlanta, GA 30308

TEL: 404.527.8140
FAX: 404.527.4198
EMAIL: kpolvino@mckennalong.com

PROFILE

Kathlynn Butler Polvino practices primarily in the area of health care law, including regulatory matters and litigation. She has extensive experience representing hospitals, managed care entities, and other healthcare entities in complex litigation, including purported class actions and multi-district litigation. Her other areas of expertise include certificates of need, licensure and accreditation, regulatory/legislative policy matters, professional service contracts, acquisitions and dispositions of health care facilities, litigation relating to employee health benefit plans, including ERISA preemption, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and compliance, fraud and abuse, the development of compliance plans, and medical staff and allied health professional matters. She represents public and private hospitals, physician groups, individual practitioners, managed care entities, health benefit plans and other health care facilities, providers and suppliers. She defended one of the nation's largest managed care entities in a multi-defendant multi-district class action litigation involving alleged RICO violations.  She represented a Georgia health system in obtaining certificate of need approval to develop a new hospital.

Kathy is a frequent lecturer at healthcare seminars on topics such as certificates of need, regulatory compliance, litigation against managed care entities, ERISA preemption, and the confidentiality of medical records. She is a regular presenter at the Fundamentals of Health Care Law seminar co-sponsored by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the Georgia Academy of Healthcare Attorneys, and the State Bar of Georgia Health Law Section.

Kathy has published several articles dealing with litigation against healthcare entities, healthcare compliance, and physician affiliations.  Her recent publications include:

State Legislative Approaches to Medicaid Shortfalls and the Growing Number of Uninsured and Underinsured, American Health Lawyers Association Member Briefing (March 2007)

Ripple Effect? Seattle Lawsuit Challenges Disparity in Hospital Facility Fees, Radiology Today (April 24, 2006)

Health Care Beware: How the “Business” of Health Care is Increasingly Challenged in Courts, Business to Business (June 2005)

Kathy was recognized by Atlanta Magazine in 2006 and 2007 as a Georgia Super Lawyer.