Sidney S. Welch, Esquire 

Sidney S. Welch is a partner with Arnall Golden Gregory LLP's healthcare practice. Ms. Welch concentrates on representing physicians and physician practices in all legal aspects of their practices on a national basis. This expertise includes the following: 

While in law school, Ms. Welch clerked with the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center and the Office of General Counsel for the American Medical Association. Ms. Welch is a frequent speaker on health care issues and regularly addresses the Medical Association of Georgia, the American Medical Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Medical Group Managers Association, American Society of Medical Association Counsel and Georgia Medical Group Managers Association.

 

• Selection, Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2009, Healthcare
• Nightingale's Outstanding Physician Lawyers Award, 2006 and 2007
• Georgia Super Lawyer, 2007-2009
• Georgia Super Lawyers' Rising Star, 2005 and 2006

• State Bar of Georgia, Health Law Section
• American Bar Association, Health Law Section
• American Health Lawyers Association
• American Society of Medical Association Counsel

• Chair, ABA Physician Issues Interest Group
• Vice Chair, AHLA Physicians & Physicians Organizations Group
• Co-Chair, AGG Diversity Committee 

• J.D., Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, 1995
• M.P.H., George Washington University, 1993
• B.A., Davidson College, 1990

• State of Georgia, 1995

Publications & Speeches (PDF)

• “The Physician in a Brave New World: Challenges and Opportunities.” National CLE Conference, Vail, CO (January 8, 2010)
• “Analyzing the 2010 Work Plan: Strategies for Physician Compliance.” Healthcare Marketplace Teleconference (November 5, 2009)
• “Physician Hospital Relationships: The Tentative Tango.” American Health Lawyers Association Fundamentals of Health Law, Chicago, IL, (November 3, 2009)
• “Pharma and Device Company Relationships with Physicians under Fire.” American Health Lawyers Association Life Sciences Law Institute, Washington, D.C. (October 15, 2009)
• “Physician Compensation – Not Your Simple Arithmetic,” Medical Group Management Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (October 13, 2009)
• “Recommendations to Minimize Risks: Compliance Plan, Policies and Procedures”, AGG Fraud & Abuse Workshop, Atlanta, GA, (May 27, 2009)
• “Economic Credentialing - Dead or Alive in an Era of Health Care Reform and Competition?” American Health Lawyers Association Webinar (July 28, 2009)
• “Navigating the Slippery Slope of Physician and Hospital/Vendor Relationships” American Bar Association Physician-Legal Issues Conference, Chicago, IL (June 11, 2009)
• “A Georgia Model Managed Care Contract,” Georgia Medical Society, Savannah, GA (May 26, 2009)
• “Current Challenges in Managing Relationships Between Industry and Physicians,” BIO Conference, Atlanta, GA (May 19, 2009)
• "HHS And FTC Release Guidance And Proposed Regulations Pursuant To The HITECH Act," American Health Lawyers Association Health Lawyers Weekly Publication, Vol. VII, Issue 17, May 1, 2009.
• “The Impact of the Federal Stimulus Package on Physicians,” Medical Association of Georgia Journal (Vol. 98, Issue 2, 2009)
• “Medical Groups Sue Payors for Underpayment of Out-of-Network Physicians,” Healthcare Authority (April 8, 2009)
• “OIG Eliminates Self-Disclosure for Stark Violations Protocol in 3/24/09 Open Letter,” Healthcare Authority (April 1, 2009)
•  “Arkansas Court Bars Economic Credentialing Policy,” Healthcare Authority (March 4, 2009)
• “Physicians at Work: Models of the Past, Present & Future,” Georgia State University (February 25, 2009)
• “More Disclosures Required for Payments to Physicians,” Healthcare Authority (February 18, 2009)
• “Physician Compensation: Not Your Simple Arithmetic,” Georgia Society of CPAs (February 4, 2009)
• “Physician Employment and Compensation Consequences,” Georgia Healthcare Financial Management Association, Greensboro, GA (January 22, 2009)
• “The 2009 OIG Work Plan: Strategies for Physician Compliance,” Medical Association of Georgia Journal (Vol. 97, Issue 4, 2008)
• “Changes to Medicare Anti-Markup Rules Effective January 1, 2009,” Healthcare Authority (December 10, 2008)
• “Analyzing the 2009 OIG Work Plan: Strategies for Physician Practice ComplianceTeleconference,” HCPro (November 20, 2008)
• “MedPAC Recommends Public Reporting of Physicians’ Financial Relationships With Manufacturers of Medical Products,” Healthcare Authority (November 19, 2008)
• “Wisconsin Medical Society Bans All Physician Gifts,” Healthcare Authority (November 12, 2008)
• “A Georgia Model Managed Care Contract,” Memorial Medical Center, Savannah, GA (November 7, 2008)
• “CMS Publishes Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule” and “Georgia Court of Appeals Rules that Peer Review Statute Protects All Information of a Review Organization,” Healthcare Authority (November 5, 2008)
• “Legal Issues,” Physician Entrepreneurs: Strength in Numbers – Consolidation and Collaboration Strategies to Grow your Practice, The Coker Group, Media Health Leaders, HcPro (2008)
• “Stark Law Realities Continued: Attorney-Client Discussions On the New Stark Law Provisions Teleconference,”American Health Lawyers Association (October 28, 2008) (October 28, 2008)
• “Fundamentals of Physician Representation Teleconference,”American Bar Association (October 23, 2008)
• “OIG 2009 Work Plan: Risk Areas for Physicians and Physician Practices,” Healthcare Authority (October 22, 2008)
• “Regulatory Environment Surrounding Revenue Enhancements,” Eastern Section of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Lake Las Vegas, NV (October 22, 2008)
• “Developing Partnerships with Hospitals,” Medical Group Managers Association, San Diego, CA (October 21, 2008)
• “Fraud & Abuse: Enforcement Activities and Reduction Risk,” Memorial Hospital, Savannah, GA (October 17, 2008)
• “OIG Releases FY 2009 Work Plan,” Healthcare Authority (October 8, 2008)
• “Florida Supreme Court Renders Decision in Lawnwood Medical Center v. Randall Seeger,” Healthcare Authority (October 1, 2008)
• “Physician-Vendor Marketing and Financial Relationships Under Attack,” American Health Lawyers Association Journal of Health & Life Sciences Law (Vol. 2, No. 1, October 2008)