Lamar Blount and HLN - Health Law Network provides experts in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, false claims, regulatory compliance, clinical documentation, medical records and coding, hospital billing, physician technical and professional billing, reasonableness of charges, damage quantification, and quality of care.
Lamar Blount, HLN's founder, co-authored the AMA's best selling "Mastering the Reimbursement Process" book, has served on the Editoral Boards for numerous healthcare industry publications, and has served as an Arbitrator for the American Health Lawyers Association. Lamar has over 25 years of experience and has conducted audits and investigations and provided expert testimony for hundreds of hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers nationwide. His experience includes administrative and regulatory proceedings, as well as state and federal courts for civil and criminal cases.
HLN's expertise includes: Accounting, APCs, Business Damages, Contractual Disputes, Cost Reports, DRGs, ERISA, False Claims, Healthcare and Insurance Fraud, HIPAA, ICD and CPT Coding, Rate Setting, Self Disclosure and Valuations.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A:
* BBA with Major in Accounting - 1974 - Georgia Southern University
* Certified Public Accountant - 1976 - Georgia #3625
* Certified Healthcare Financial Professional - 1997
* Fellow Healthcare Financial Management Association - 1998
* Property and Casualty Insurance - 2001 Georgia AGR 595707
* Life, Accident and Sickness Insurance - 2002 Georgia AGR 595707
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A:
American Institute of CPAs
Association of Health Insurance Advisors
Federation of American Health Systems - Finance Committee 1991 - 1995
Georgia Hospital Association - Advisor to Council on Finance and Management 1982-1995
Georgia Rural Health Association - Board Member 1987-1992, President 1991
Georgia Society of CPAs - Ethics Committee 1995-1997
Healthcare Financial Management Association - Georgia Board Member 1988-1989
National Association of Health Underwriters
Society for Human Resource Management
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: PRESENTATIONS:
Alternative Malpractice Solutions - Florida Institute of CPAs
Benefits - Offer More and Pay Less - Saint Joseph's Medical Staff
Blue Cross Hospital Reimbursement Issues - Arkansas Hospital Association
Code of Conduc - Neurology Associates
Coding & Billing Issues - Risk & Opportunities - AICPA/HFMA
Compliance Issues Update - Georgia and Alabama HFMA
Compliance Risks & Solutions for MDs - MCCG Family Practice Residency
Component Depreciation - Georgia, Tennessee, Florida HFMA
Controlling Compliance Risks - American Association of Physicians and Surgeons
Corporate Compliance - What's the Big Deal? - Alabama HFMA
Creating Wealth, Protecting Assets - Healthcare Benefit Advisors
DRG Assignment and Validation - Texas Medical Record Association
ERISA Compliance and Identity Security - Georgia HFMA
Finance and Reimbursement Issues - National Association of Public Hospitals
Improving Hospital Financial Management - Georgia Hospital Association
Innovative Retirement Planning Techniques - Brunswick Georgia CPAs
Life Insurance and Tax Law for CPAs - Healthcare Benefit Advisors
Medicaid Appeals - Georgia Hospital Association
OIG Workplan Update - Georgia and Dixie Institute HFMA
Physician Compliance Issues - Georgia HFMA
Role of Management in Compliance Programs - Georgia HFMA
Reducing Risks & Improving Performance” - HSI PFS Roundtable
Self-disclosure and Corporate Integrity Agreements - NY State Society of CPAs
PUBLICATIONS:
Mastering the Reimbursement Process - Co-authored book for AMA 1998 and 2001
HMA Strategy Advisor - Editor and Publisher 1990 - 2002
Hospital Payment and Information Management - Editorial Advisory Board 1990 - 1995
Medical Office Manager - Editorial Board since 1992
Medical Records Briefing - Editorial Advisory Board 1992 - 2001
Physician's Payment Update - Editorial Advisory Board 1990 - 1995
Report on Medicare Compliance - Editorial Advisory Board 1997 - 2001
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: No
Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
A: Over 100
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, healthcare financial management, accounting, billing fraud
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
A: Approximately 20%
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
A: Approximately 80%
Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
A: Over 30
Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
A: 2007
Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
A: Over 20
Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
A: Over 20
Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
A: Over 20
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: HLN provides consulting, document review, pre-litigation analysis, exhibit preparation, and expert testimony in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, regulatory compliance, clinical documentation, medical record coding, technical and professional billing, and quality of care.
Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
A: Rates and time budgets are available upon request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
A: Rates and time budgets are available upon request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
A: Rates and time budgets are available upon request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
A: Rates and time budgets are available upon request.
Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
A: Out of pocket costs for travel and other services, if needed.
Hourly rates for HLN professionals vary based upon skill level required.
References
References and a List of Representative Litigation Support Experience is available upon request.Here are actual quotes from three past clients:
"I want to thank you for your time, efforts and diligence in helping with this case. I also appreciate your patience with me in helping me understand the information and guiding me to be able to present the information to the judges in a straight forward manner that was easy to understand, and demonstrated the problems."
"I look forward to working with you again. You grasped the issues very quickly and I believe would have provided great assistance before the court and jury if called upon."
"Dr. Mxxxxxxx has reached a settlement with Medicaid, and I am beginning the draft of the settlement agreement. So, the hearing will not go forward as previously scheduled. Thank you for all your hard work and insight."
