Kirsten M. Backstrom

With over 25 years of experience at Epstein Becker Green focused exclusively on health care law, attorney Kirsten Backstrom has extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of health regulatory compliance, Medicare and Medicaid coding and reimbursement, fraud and abuse counseling and defense (including federal and state false claims, anti-kickback, and self-referral laws and qui tam cases), internal and government investigations, and government settlements.

Kirsten has advised a wide range of health care clients, including hospitals and health care systems, physicians and physician groups, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies, clinical laboratories, durable medical equipment suppliers, provider staffing companies, third-party billing entities, post-acute providers, health care payors, trade associations, and banking and venture capital firms on a wide range of federal and state health regulatory, fraud and abuse, and reimbursement matters. Her commanding knowledge of fraud and abuse and regulatory requirements and her ability to understand and take into account operational feasibility in the health care environment has led to her many long-standing client relationships.

In addition, Kirsten has led countless internal, governmental and payor-initiated investigations related to anti-kickback, self-referral, billing and coding, licensure and exclusion, and false claims issues for her clients. She has conducted numerous settlement negotiations and negotiated associated settlement agreements and self-disclosures with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of Inspector General, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, state Medicaid entities, and private payors. In conjunction with these investigations and other matters, Kirsten has spearheaded complex electronic and other litigation discovery requests.

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Health care providers turn to Kirsten for advice on the development, implementation, and evaluation of their compliance programs and related health care policies and procedures. She also counsels clients on health regulatory and reimbursement aspects relating to the planning and structuring of health care transactions and business arrangements.

Kirsten has regularly represented hospitals and other related providers in connection with compliance, survey, and enforcement under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).

An experienced presenter, Kirsten has spoken on EMTALA, health care privacy, the Medicare appeals process, government investigations and settlements, and corporate integrity agreements.

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Education

• The George Washington University (M.A., 1997)
• The George Washington University Law School (J.D., 1997)
• The George Washington University (B.A., 1994)

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Health Lawyers Association
• District of Columbia Bar Association
• Virginia State Bar

Past Events