TBLS Board Certified in Health Law

Since the program launched in 2002, approximately 67 attorneyshave earned the designation as a board certified in health law in Texas.

According to Section XVI of Part II of the TBLS standards for attorney certification, the term "health law" is defined as: 

• dealing with federal, state, and local law, rules and regulations, and other jurisprudence
• affecting the health care industry and health care patients
• deals with the operational, regulatory, and transactional legal issues arising from the application of these laws, rules, and regulations
• for:
  • patients
  • health care providers
  • health care vendors
  • entities which pay for health care services
• the relationships among providers, payors, vendors, and patients in the health care industry
• delivery of health care services.

Standards for Certification in Health Law

The requirements to become board certification by TBLS in health law include:

• practicing law for at least 5 years as an active member of the State Bar of Texas;
• at least 3 years of Health Law experience with a yearly minimum 35% substantial involvement with Health Law matters;
• qualified vetted references from judges and lawyers in the area;
• completion of 60 hours of TBLS approved continuing legal education in Health Law;
• meeting all of the TBLS Standards for Attorney Certification; and
• passing a comprehensive 6-hour examination in Health Law.

Exam Specifications in Health Law

To become board certified in health law, the attorney must have handled as lead counsel or in a primary capacity, several of
the categories listed below in order to sufficiently demonstrate an expertise in Texas health law within the 3 years immediately preceding application by:

1. counseling clients and educating clients which may include trade associations;
2. advising or counseling clients with respect to the establishment or modification of procedures, practices, forms, programs, or transactions to comply
   with laws in those areas as they relate to health law; or
3. representing clients in preparation of claims handled through mediation, arbitration, or litigation.
   1. Health care antitrust;
   2. Fraud and abuse/referral prohibitions;
   3. Health care contract issues;
   4. Managed care and managed care organizations;
   5. Risk management/quality assurance/utilization review/patient safety;
   6. Licensure and certification;
   7. Patient rights;
   8. State licensing and federal COPs;
   9. Medical staff/professional rights;
   10. Physicians practice issues;
   11. Reimbursement and coverage (state and federal);
   12. Finance including tax/tax exemptions;
   13. Administrative proceedings;
   14. Hospital/institutional operations;
   15. Mental health;
   16. Drugs, devices, and IRBs;
   17. Business organizations, mergers and acquisitions;
   18. Labor and employment law;
   19. Health information technology, privacy, confidentiality, and the HIPAA security and privacy;
   20. Governmental entities/political subdivisions; and
   21. Long term care.

At Lawyer Legion, we understand that specialty certification programs are on important way for the public to find a health law attorney in Texas. This article was last updated on Friday, January 17, 2020.