Jennifer Jones Thomas

Trusted health law advisor and proven advocate, Jennifer Thomas, guides various industry organizations and their constituents through the complexities associated with the business of healthcare today. In addition to her law degree and industry honors, Jennifer holds a Masters in Health Science, worked in healthcare facilities prior to law school, and is among few attorneys who have earned formal certification as a Health Law Specialist by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization.

Among Jennifer’s clients are local, regional, and national healthcare organizations and their constituents. She earned her stellar reputation as a far more multi-dimensional health law counselor by advising on issues that range from transactional and regulatory advice to dispute resolution. She is a highly effective and smart state and federal court litigator who, on attack or defense, knows how to position healthcare clients before judges, juries, disciplinary panels, public and governmental agencies, and in arbitration and mediation. She is valued for conserving client resources and being a single point of contact among an array of specialty advisors within the health law discipline.

Jennifer guides clients through all areas of Medicare and Medicaid fraud, abuse, audits, overpayments, and recoupments; Stark and Anti-kickback law compliance; HIPAA compliance; the Federal False Claims Act; the Louisiana Medical Assistance Program Integrity Law; the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act; healthcare provider licensure; Louisiana healthcare regulations and legislation; assisting individual healthcare providers before the numerous Louisiana licensing boards; and in defending healthcare organizations faced with lawsuits filed by the Louisiana Attorney General.

Moreover, Jennifer is fluent in navigating healthcare entities and professionals through a wide range of complicated issues unique to their profession and industry. A believer in the continuous mitigation of risk through best practices and excellence across all operational imperatives, Jennifer focuses on providing the communication and tactical approach to problem-solving needed to forge mutually acceptable resolutions to the conflicts that inevitably occur, both internally and externally, across healthcare organizations.

In addition to her thriving health law practice, Jennifer is skilled in the unique legal and operational issues of Louisiana’s education system and industry. She represents Parish school systems and private and parochial schools in litigation, regulatory matters, property acquisitions, planning and zoning, contract negotiations, intellectual property protection, and employment disputes. Jennifer also prepares internal policies and procedures and employee and student handbooks. She brings a deep bench of proven skill to guiding educational institutions through the challenges associated with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Louisiana education statutes and regulations, and the Louisiana Public Records Act.

Before attending law school, Jennifer obtained a Masters of Health Science from the LSU Medical Center and worked as a Case Manager in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at a regional healthcare provider. This experience aids her to more effectively engage with the CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CSOs, CMOs, CLO’s, CIOs, CPOs, and CNOs, as well as all levels of their other professional and medical staff.

Jennifer knows, from having served as a healthcare professional and legal counselor, the difficulties healthcare executives and providers face. She understands the decision-making processes within healthcare entities of all sizes and phases of development, as well as what it takes to craft legal solutions that align with evolving regulations and her client’s existing infrastructure and culture.

This level of understanding enables Jennifer to identify the root causes of a problem, evaluate potential options, anticipate outcomes, articulate persuasive business and legal justifications, address resistance, and achieve more efficient resolutions and solutions in a more streamlined manner. As a result, her credibility as a trusted advisor is immediate and the result of her legal acumen and first-hand know-how gained from working inside a healthcare organization and across various departments and functions.