Part 1 of 5 — Do You Actually Need to Be HIPAA Compliant? Asking the Right Threshold Question I regularly get calls that starts roughly the same way: "We need to become HIPAA compliant — what does that cost and how fast can we get it done?" The caller is usually a small medical practice owner, a...
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Don’t Just Lock the Door: The Legal Checklist for Closing a California Healthcare Practice (BLOG SERIES 5 of 5)
When the Practice Closes: How to Wind Down a California Healthcare Practice Responsibly — and What Happens When You Don't Patient Notification, Records, Regulatory Obligations, and the True Cost of No Plan Not every healthcare practice ends in a sale or a partnership transition. Some prov...
Who Runs the Practice If You Can’t? MSOs, Continuity Agreements, and Legal Tools to Protect Your Healthcare Practice from Sudden Incapacity (BLOG SERIES 4 of 5)
Planning for the Unplanned: MSOs, Continuity Agreements, and Protecting Your Practice from Sudden Incapacity Legal Tools for the Events You Hope Will Never Happen — But Must Plan For Anyway Succession planning is most often discussed in the context of retirement. But the events that most ...
Passing the Torch from Within: How to Build an Internal Succession Plan with Partners, Associates and Buy-Sell Agreements (BLOG SERIES 3 of 5)
Building an Internal Succession: Bringing in a Partner or Associate to Take the Reins Buy-Sell Agreements, Shareholder Structures, and the Art of the Internal Transition For many California healthcare providers, the ideal succession is not a sale to a stranger. It is a transition to someo...
Selling Your Practice Without Selling Yourself Into Legal Trouble (BLOG SERIES 2 of 5)
Selling Your California Healthcare Practice: What the Law Permits, What It Doesn't, and What You Must Do Right A Guide to Asset Sales, Stock Sales, Valuation, and the Rules That Make California Unique For many California healthcare providers, the most straightforward succession plan is also ...
What Happens to Your Practice When You’re Done Practicing? (BLOG SERIES 1 of 5)
The Question Every California Healthcare Provider Is Avoiding — And Why It Could Cost Everything An Introduction to Practice Succession Planning in California This five-part blog series is for physicians, dentists, oral surgeons, chiropractors, therapists, optometrists, and every other licens...
Deferred Compensation and Retirement: What Healthcare Providers Should Know
Scaling back your practice? Learn how deferred compensation and buyout structures may be affected—and how to plan ahead.
The Hardest Part of Scaling Back for Retirement: Compensation and Fairness
What if I (or my Group Partner) Want to Work Part-time before Retirement? How Can Revenue Be Fairly Allocated? Reducing workload is one thing. Figuring out how compensation should change is another. And this stage is often where the most tension arises. Why Compensation Gets Complicated Wh...
How to Structure a Partial Retirement in a Group Practice
How do I Scale Back as a Provider in a Group Practice? Group practices add another layer of complexity when a provider wants to scale back. Unlike solo practices, your decisions affect: Partners Coverage schedules Compensation models Practice culture There's No One “...
Bringing in Another Provider: The Most Common (and Misunderstood) Exit Strategy
What if I just Bring in Another Provider? One of the most common ways healthcare providers begin to step back is by bringing in another doctor or provider to take over part of the workload. On paper, it's a great solution. In practice, it requires careful execution. Why This Strategy Works ...
Why "Just Cutting Back" in your Practice Rarely Works (And What to Do Instead)
Can you Really Just See Less Patients? Most healthcare providers assume that when they're ready to slow down, they can simply start seeing fewer patients. It sounds simple. But in reality, it rarely works the way you expect because simply refusing new patients can actually backfire—sometimes dr...
"Decoupling" Physician Buy-Ins: A Strategic Approach to IRS Compliance (Part 3 of Series)
Introduction to Decoupling One of the most important developments in structuring physician buy-ins is the concept of “decoupling”—separating the stock purchase from compensation adjustments. This approach directly addresses IRS concerns under Section 1060 and related doctrines. The Meaning o...
The “Inexact Method” in Physician Buy-Ins: A Safer Compensation Approach? (PART 2 of Series)
The "Inexact Method" is becoming more commonly used... As tax scrutiny of traditional buy-in arrangements increases, many practices are shifting toward what is often called the “inexact method.” Rather than assigning a precise purchase price to goodwill and receivables, this approach relies more...
Rethinking Medical Practice Buy-Ins: IRS Risks and Section 1060 Compliance (Part 1 of Series)
IRS Risks & Section 1060 Compliance Buy-in arrangements for new physician partners have long been a common vehicle for medical and dental practice transitions. These structures traditionally involve a modest stock purchase combined with reduced compensation over time. While historically accepted...
Before You Name Your Pharmacy in California, Read This
Naming Your California Pharmacy Corporation: Avoiding Compliance Pitfalls Pharmacy corporations in California operate within a regulatory framework that differs from many other allied healthcare professions. Pharmacists are regulated by the California State Board of Pharmacy under Business and...
Choosing a Name for Your Physical Therapy Practice in California? The Law Has Rules
Naming Your California Physical Therapy Corporation: What PT Practices Must Know Physical therapists forming professional corporations in California must ensure their corporate name complies with both corporate law and the professional licensing statutes governing physical therapy. Physical t...
Can Chiropractors Use “Medical” in Their Practice Name in California?
Naming Your California Chiropractic Corporation: What the Chiropractic Board Requires Chiropractors forming a professional corporation in California must comply with both corporate law and the regulatory framework governing chiropractic practice. Choosing a corporate name may seem like a brand...
Can you name your practice anything you want in California? Not exactly.
Naming Your California Medical Corporation: What Physicians Need to Know Choosing a name for your medical corporation in California may seem like a straightforward branding decision, but it is actually governed by several legal requirements. Physicians forming professional corporations must co...
Starting a Nursing Corporation in California? Your Name Matters
Naming Your California Nursing Corporation: What Nurses Should Know Registered nurses and advanced practice nurses who form professional corporations in California must ensure that their corporate name complies with both corporate law and the statutes governing nursing practice. Nursing pract...
Want to Use a Brand Name for your Dental Corporation? You likely need a Fictitious Name Permit first
Want to Use a Brand Name for Your Dental Corporation. You likely need a Fictitious Name Permit first. Many dentists prefer to market their practices under a brand name rather than their personal name. Names like Pacific Coast Dental Studio or Advanced Smile Center can feel more modern an...
Naming Your Dental Corporation in California: What Dentists Need to Know
Naming Your California Dental Corporation: What the Dentist's Need to Know Forming a dental corporation in California involves more than filing Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State. Dentists are regulated not only by corporate law but also by the Dental Board of Californi...
Can a Nurse Practitioner Own Part of a Medical Practice in California? What the Law Actually Allows
Can a Nurse Practitioner Work in a Medical Corporation in California? Nurse practitioners (NPs) play an increasingly important role in healthcare delivery across California, including in specialty practices such as dermatology. A common question that arises from NP clients when structuring a med...
Professional Medical Corporations Explained: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals
The Professional Medical Corporations Explained guide is a practical overview for California healthcare professionals who want to understand what a Professional Medical Corporation (PC) is and why it is commonly used to operate a medical practice. It explains the key legal rules around ownership and licensing requirements, including why professional services must be provided through a structure that complies with California’s professional corporation laws and corporate practice restrictions. It highlights common benefits of forming a PC—such as clearer business organization, credibility, and certain tax planning opportunities—while also clarifying that a PC does not eliminate personal malpractice liability for a provider’s own professional negligence. Finally, it addresses frequently asked questions, including how PCs differ from LLCs and what steps are involved in forming and maintaining a compliant entity.
Why Sellers Love Stock Sales (and Why Buyers Usually Don’t)
Structuring the Sale of a Health Care Practice Stock Sale vs. Asset Sale Selling a health care practice is one of the most significant financial and professional decisions a provider will make. Beyond price and timing, how the transaction is structured—as a stock sale or an asset sale—...
Prescription for Peace: Mediation in Health Care Disputes
Mediation offers a powerful, collaborative alternative to litigation in health law disputes, helping resolve conflicts in business, employment, and patient care with confidentiality, efficiency, and control. By empowering parties to craft mutually agreeable outcomes, mediation preserves relationships, reduces costs, and promotes peace—making it especially well-suited for the healing-oriented nature of the health care industry. Rather than leaving decisions to the courts, mediation fosters respectful dialogue and closure, aligning legal resolution with the values of compassion and professionalism central to health care.