ABA Health Law Section

09/23/2026

"It is an honor to begin my year as Chair of the American Bar Association Health Law Section. I step into this role with deep appreciation for the leaders who have come before me, for the staff and volunteers who sustain the Section every day, and for the members who make this community such an important professional home for health lawyers across the country.

Every Chair year begins with a mix of gratitude, humility, and anticipation. This year begins with something more as well: a recognition that we are living and practicing in a time of meaningful change. The healthcare industry continues to evolve rapidly. The legal and regulatory environment remains dynamic. The ways in which professionals learn, connect, volunteer, and lead are changing too. For the Section, that reality presents both a responsibility and an opportunity.

My hope for the coming year is that we meet this moment with clarity and purpose. I have been thinking about the year ahead through four related themes: a year of change, a year of fresh opportunity, a year of sustainability, and a year of efficiency. Each theme matters on its own. Together, they can help us strengthen the Section and ensure that it continues to serve members in ways that are practical, welcoming, and forward-looking."

Read the rest of David Ellenbogen's first chair's column at ambar.org/hlschair

09/22/2026

The official conference brochure is here!

Now in its 24th year, the Washington Health Policy Summit offers timely, in-depth discussions on the most pressing policy and regulatory issues impacting the healthcare industry.

This year’s program brings together policymakers, senior government officials, former enforcement leaders, and experienced industry counsel for candid discussions on the legal and operational implications of recent federal developments. Topics include fraud and abuse enforcement, managed care, behavioral health, digital health and AI, privacy, and consolidation.

Thank you to our 2026 conference planning committee for putting together an excellent program! Hal Katz, William Mathias, Lindsey Brill, Michelle Busuito, Ellee Cochran, Stephanie Dorvil, Ramana Rameswaran and Sam Ruddy

Register today at ambar.org/whs2026

09/01/2026

📣 Calling all new HLS Member or those who want to get more involved!

Join Courtney Hurtig, Denise Glass and David Ellenbogen on September 16 for our quarterly New Member Orientation Webinar.

Register Now: https://www.americanbar.org/events-cle/mtg/web/458962042/

09/01/2026

Owners of medspas—medical clinic/day spa hybrids that offer minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in a spa-like setting—often believe that they exist in a regulatory gray area. However, recent DOJ actions against some medspa owners for fraud; violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act; and other compliance failures demonstrate that the medspa regulatory landscape is stricter than some have believed. In this ABA Health eSource article, Darshan Kulkarni details some of the most common noncompliance areas and how medspa owners and their counsel can protect themselves.

Read More:

Owners of medspas—medical clinic/day spa hybrids that offer minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in a spa-like setting—are often fooled by their own relaxed, retail-friendly atmosphere and often believe that they exist in a regulatory gray area.

08/07/2026

Last weekend, the chairs of our Committees and Interest Groups met at the Holland & Knight LLP office in Chicago to plan for our 2026-2027 bar year and officially pass the gavel. Thank you Lisa D. Taylor for an amazing year. We are so excited for our new Chair, David Ellenbogen, and this great group of leaders to hit the ground running on the year to come!

08/06/2026

For high-risk therapeutics with reasonably knowable safety liabilities, litigation following serious adverse events often turns on a simple question: Did the sponsor act reasonably before the foreseeable harm occurred? Using ibogaine’s cardiac risk profile as the case study, this article by Kimberly Chew from Husch Blackwell and Odette Hauke demonstrates how trials can be designed that are more likely to be viewed as reasonable exercises of the duty of care owed to research participants.

Read More:

For high-risk therapeutics with reasonably knowable safety liabilities, litigation following serious adverse events often turns on a simple question: Did the sponsor act reasonably before the foreseeable harm occurred?

08/06/2026

We are now accepting proposals for the 2027 Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law Conference (EMI) taking place March 31-April 3 in Tucson, AZ!

As the name suggests, EMI is focused on emerging issues in healthcare law. We welcome submissions on the new or evolving trends, ideas, and issues you see affecting the legal healthcare and business environment to be presented at an intermediate or advanced health attorney level. The EMI Planning Committee is open to all emerging topic proposals.

The deadline to complete and submit the Program Proposal Form is Friday, September 4, 2026. We can't wait to hear from you!

Learn More: https://americanbar.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b7XoUD6IMobJQ6q

08/04/2026

As the Medicare Advantage program grows, so does the federal government’s scrutiny of MAOs and downstream providers alike. Given recent regulatory and market developments, as well as the increasing availability and use of AI across the MA program, effective and proactive compliance safeguards for stakeholders can significantly limit long-term financial and operational risks. This ABA Health eSource article, by Devin Cohen, Matthew J. Westbrook, and Catherine Pellerin from Proskauer Rose LLP, explores how these ongoing and emerging trends and increased regulatory scrutiny across the MA program—the good, the bad, and the uncertain–can and likely will affect how stakeholders build effective safeguards.

Read More:

Combating healthcare FWA remains a top bipartisan enforcement priority. As the MA program grows, so does the federal government’s scrutiny of MAOs and downstream providers alike.

07/30/2026

Covered entities (CEs) enrolled in the federal 340B drug pricing program approach inappropriate drug use and drug diversion differently. CEs’ primary focus is about regulation compliance and achieving congressional goals. This article by Simon Tse discusses how pharmacists can help prevent inappropriate drug use and drug diversion and the impacts of those issues on 340B CEs.

Read More:

This article helps shed light on pharmacists’ roles in preventing inappropriate drug use and drug diversion and impacts on 340B CEs.

07/28/2026

Save the date and get ready for even more fun!

We are so excited to bring back four of our exciting conferences and institutes this upcoming bar year and we hope to see you there!

National Managed Care Institute
November 12-13, 2026 | Bass Berry & Sims, Nashville, TN

Washington Health Policy Summit
December 7-8, 2026 | The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC

Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law Conference
March 31-April 3, 2027 | Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, AZ

Healthcare Delivery & Innovation Conference (NEW DATE!)
May 13-14, 2027 | Chicago, IL

For more information on registration and all these conferences have to offer, go to ambar.org/hlsevents