About Us

In order to prosper in the ever-changing climate of the U.S. healthcare system, physicians and other healthcare providers must align themselves with legal counsel that has a deep understanding not only of federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, but also of the direction of the industry as a whole. It is crucial that providers stay in front of change, rather than simply reacting to it. Because of our exclusive focus on the healthcare industry, Frier Levitt is uniquely positioned to serve as a creative and thoughtful guide for healthcare providers in these challenging times.  Frier Levitt is a national boutique healthcare and life sciences firm founded in 2000 with offices in New Jersey and New York and are proud to be General Counsel to the American Academy of Pediatrics, New Jersey Chapter.

Products and Services

Frier Levitt regularly assists pediatricians and other providers with a wide range of services, including (but not limited to):

  • Super group formation
  • Defense of audits and overpayment demands
  • Credentialing and privileges
  • Practice formation
  • Transactional issues
  • Employment and vendor contract negotiations
  • Insurance investigations

Common Pitfalls in Pediatrics

For adult patients, medical records must be retained for a period of seven (7) years. (N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.5).  For minors, a physician is required to maintain treatment records for a period of seven (7) years from the date of the most recent entry.  The New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners does not differentiate between minor and adult patients, and simply sets a seven (7) year retention requirement.  However, in determining the retention period from a risk standpoint, the Statute of Limitation for filing a medical malpractice must be taken under consideration, which for a minor patient it two (2) years from when the patient reaches eighteen (18) years of age.

Situations regarding medical decision-making for a child is governed by the specific divorce agreement.  Divorce agreements, when a child is involved, will include who has the right to make medical decision.  Has one parent yielded all those decisions to other or both sign off on all medical decisions?  Is the legal guardianship also inclusive of all medical decision-making?  These situations are case-by-case and the controlling court papers should be produced to the practice for review.

Yes.  The VFC program does not allow a pediatrician to continue to receive free vaccinations until all shortages/wasted vaccines are reimbursed to the VFC program.  Unfortunately, regardless of the size of the Medicaid population being served by the provider or the inability to pay the restitution within thirty (30) days, the VFC program will terminate a provider\’s participation for failure to timely pay for all VFC vaccine shortages.  If prompt payment is not made, the VFC will frequently also report the practice to the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners and the Medicaid Fraud Division.

Medical Malpractice insurance in New Jersey has evolved tremendously over the last decade.  Whereas before physicians had to pay for additional coverages as individual riders, now most policies include same.  For instance, most insurance policies will pay for the provider\’s legal and expert fees incurred as part of, but not limited to:

  1. Audits
  2. Document requests
  3. Overpayment demands
  4. Board Inquiries/Patient Complaints to the Board
  5. Patient complaints to payors
  6. Subpoenas (civil, criminal or administrative)
  7. Notices to be deposed (as part of any legal proceeding)
  8. HIPAA breaches
  9. Civil Litigation for billing practices

Contact Us

Guillermo J. Beades, Esq.
gbeades@frierlevitt.com
Frier Levitt, LLC
84 Bloomfield Avenue, Pine Brook, NJ 07058
973-852-8354