The firm's healthcare practice focuses on numerous aspects of federal and state regulation of the health care industry, one of the most heavily regulated industries in today's business world. Complicating the industry are changing regulatory requirements, evolving compliance requirements, declining payments from payors, and increasing consumer activism and competitive marketplace forces. Hermes Sargent Bates has experience with regard to Medicare, Medicaid, state and federal regulations, privacy issues, HIPAA and health insurance matters, among other areas. We work closely with our clients in a variety of areas including structuring joint ventures, handling outsourcing arrangements, assisting with mergers and acquisitions, containing litigation risk, and structuring and reorganizing corporate entities. The firm routinely advises hospitals and multihospital systems on operations, management and governance issues. Our representation includes providing advice to governing boards concerning licensing and regulatory issues, bylaws and compliance matters. We also provide advice on all facets of peer review and credentialing with regard to medical staff and managed care credentialing plans. We consider ourselves strategic partners with our clients, which ensures continued success and compliance with the rapidly changing laws in the healthcare industry. As a result, Hermes Sargent Bates offers original, sound and creative solutions for each client, and our breadth of practice and experience sets us apart from our competitors.