Stephenson, Acquisto & Colman (SAC), is the law firm of choice for healthcare providers needing an avenue to resolve institutional reimbursement and payment issues.  SAC represents virtually all major healthcare providers in the state of California and has been successfully working with clients on third party payor-recovery issues for more than 20 years.

SAC’s mission is to help strengthen hospitals and other healthcare providers, who are the backbone of our nation’s healthcare delivery system, to ensure they have the financial stability to adequately help their local communities.

SAC specializes in pursuing payment and other contract disputes with commercial and government payors by offering its clients specialized healthcare recovery programs.  Services include, but are not limited to representing healthcare providers in litigation and arbitration, recommending ways to improve clients’ business operations, and providing education in the negotiation of provider contracts.

SAC represents large medical facilities, small community facilities, and academic medical centers, offering support on a variety of issues which arise in a medical center’s business office or utilization review department.

SAC was founded in 1989 by Joy Stephenson, who currently serves as managing partner of the firm.  The other senior partners of the firm are Vincent A. Acquisto and George Colman, both highly-respected members of the legal healthcare community.  SAC built its practice primarily on ‘word-of-mouth’ among clients and through referrals.  SAC is widely recognized as a leader in the practice of healthcare law, and its solid reputation, stellar record and commitment to client service has made it the law firm of choice for the healthcare industry. 

SAC currently employs some 100 people in its northern and southern California offices.  SAC’s full-time professional team includes attorneys, nurses and physicians with extensive experience in all areas of law related to healthcare matters.  SAC partners have a combined legal experience of more than 100 years and have established strong working relationships within all areas of the healthcare industry.

SAC’s primary practice areas include managed care and commercial insurance
recovery and negotiation, Medi-Cal disputes (eligibility, billing appeals, treatment authorizations issues), third party liability, Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS), deceased patients/probate issues, workers’ compensation, and victims of crime.

SAC specializes in the following areas: Medi-Cal billing and treatment authorization request (TAR) issues, California Children Services (CCS), Medicare reimbursement, victim of crime, Social Security Income (SSI),  Social Security Administration (SSA) eligibility cases, Veterans' Administration CHAMPUS and medically indigent adult (M.I.A) programs.

SAC’s experienced personnel and history of success provide expertise in all areas of law related to healthcare reimbursement.  SAC staff has amassed a winning track record in commercial reimbursement cases involving: health insurance, workers' compensation, decedents' estates, contracts, bankruptcy, third-party liability, property laws and privacy statutes, and rules governing creditors' rights and remedies such as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act.

SAC has successfully represented providers before the following administrative agencies and courts: Social Security Administration, State Department of Health Services, State Department of Social Services, Board of Veterans' Administration, State and Federal Courts Workers' Compensation Appeal Board, and Centers for Medical and Medicaid Services (CMS).

SAC partners hold legal advisory positions with healthcare organizations and sit on the boards of numerous healthcare-related organizations, including: American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM); California Association of Healthcare Admitting Managers (CAHAM); California Hospital Association (CHA); Healthcare Financing Administration (HCFA); Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA); Healthcare Communications & Marketing Association (HCMA); California Society of Healthcare Attorneys (CSHA); American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA); American Bar Association (ABA); California, New York and Maryland State Bar Associations; Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, and the St. Francis Medical Center. 

Additionally, SAC partners are actively involved in community organizations, have lectured extensively on healthcare and receivable reimbursement issues throughout the country and have published numerous articles on legal recoveries and other healthcare receivables issues.

SAC partners have published several articles and papers in publications such as The Journal of Healthcare Administration Management, Vital Signs, and Journal of Patient Account Management.  Links to all published articles, as well as to other news, case precedence and firm awards and recognition, can be found on our Web site under the “Firm News” tab – www.sacfirm.com.

SAC was recently selected as one of the “Go-to-Law Firms” of the World’s Leading Companies in the May 12, 2008 issue of Fortune Magazine.

CSR is very important to SAC, highlighted by several programs which allow the firm to play an active, leading role in the healthcare industry and the local communities where its offices are located.  Those activities include pro bono educational seminars to help educate hospitals and other healthcare organizations in the areas of maximizing reimbursement and minimizing bad debt; working with CHA on treatment authorizations request issues for MediCal; a high school internship program and ongoing work with local colleges and universities; and involvement by SAC partners in leadership roles with industry organizations and both state and federal agencies.
 
SAC founding and managing partner, Joy Stephenson, also founded Mojo Marketing & Media, www.mojomarketingandmedia.com, the first and only entertainment company whose mission is to create socially-responsible marketing vehicles which encourage people to fully develop their personal social conscience, take action and get involved in making a positive difference in the lives of others.

SAC has several competitive advantages in the area of healthcare litigation which make it uniquely positioned to help its clients, including: an extensive knowledge base, as SAC partners have previously worked for government agencies; its reputation and industry relationships, as SAC maintains close and continuing communications with key county, state and federal program mangers; its advanced technology, as SAC prides itself on being one of the most automated law firms in the nation; and, its dynamic, fully integrated medical legal team including full-time lawyers, doctors and nurses on staff.

Four recent cases litigated and won by SAC have set precedence and play a prominent role in shaping legal interpretation with regard to healthcare and reimbursement payer issues. 
A caring and responsible corporate citizen, SAC committed early on to sustainably managing its operations and products to protect the environment and their success in this area has led to further firm growth.

You can find out more about SAC online at www.sacfirm.com – or contact us by telephone at (818) 559-4477, or by email at Reception@sacfirmonline.com.