About Michelle Apodaca

Missy Apodaca helps health care providers plan for and accomplish long-term objectives while tackling the challenges of day-to-day operations. With experience as top in-house counsel for a health plan and years in private practice advising on emerging health care trends, Missy brings a combination of business savvy and legal experience her clients need. Missy's clients include hospitals and health systems, physician practices, health care providers and technology companies working in the health care space.

The tough advocate health care providers trust

Missy served as the vice president of advocacy, legal and public policy at the Texas Hospital Association. She also served as in-house legal counsel and compliance officer for a Texas health maintenance organization and as a legislative aide in both the Texas State Senate and the US House of Representatives. This breadth and depth of experience serves as a strong foundation for Missy's zealous advocacy for her clients.

Missy's payor experience is invaluable for her physician and provider clients. Missy also advises clients on regulatory and licensure issues involving the Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Department of Health Services, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Medical Board and the Texas Pharmacy Board. She helps with the licensure of health maintenance organizations, third-party administrators, health care collaborative organizations and accountable care organizations, discount health care programs, acute care hospitals, Texas nonprofit health corporations (5.01a), and behavioral health care facilities and units. She also helps clients secure Medicare provider-based status and federally qualified health center (FQHC)/look-alike funding, and on FQHC operational matters.

Missy is a frequent and respected speaker at national health law and policy conferences.

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Practice Focus

  • Health care law
  • Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care and commercial health insurance
  • Developing and negotiating alternative payment arrangements
  • Negotiation of managed care contracts
  • Regulatory and licensure issues for facilities and health plans
  • Telemedicine and telehealth

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