Photo of Stephanie S. Sobkowiak

Stephanie Sprague Sobkowiak is chair of the firm’s Health Care practice and a prior member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Stephanie is recognized as one of Connecticut’s top lawyers for health care providers.

Described in Chambers USA as “a really strong lawyer” who “cuts through the nonsense” to solve problems, Stephanie represents hospitals, physician groups, dental practices, community health centers and others in the health care industry. In her role, she partners with her clients on corporate, regulatory, compliance, risk management, fraud and abuse, medical staff and credentialing matters, Certificates of Need, and HIPAA and other patient privacy issues. In each relationship, she strives to understand her clients’ goals and strategic vision in order help develop strategies that make sense in the context of their businesses.

Known for her negotiation skills, Stephanie credits her success to applying a pragmatic approach when putting together transactions or resolving disputes between her clients and opposing parties. She has negotiated countless corporate agreements, advocated for clients in matters before the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Office of Health Strategy and the Department of Social Services and handled a variety of complex Medicare matters. She also drafts and negotiates purchase and sale transactions for clients in the health care space.

Stephanie frequently shares her knowledge of federal and state health care regulatory requirements by speaking at seminars and authoring articles. Her insight on these topics, as well as other timely risk-avoidance issues, benefits a wide audience of health care professionals, lawmakers, accountants, lawyers and others.

Connecticut’s legislature has amended the state’s physician noncompete law to provide for additional restrictions on physician noncompete agreements. (Public Act No. 23-97). In addition, Connecticut has extended noncompete restrictions to advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners) and physician assistants. Governor Lamont is expected to sign the amendment, but has not yet done so.

In response to COVID-19 vaccination mandates and employer-mandated vaccination policies, federal agencies continue to issue guidance.  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) have released additional guidance addressing common employer concerns regarding vaccination status, discrimination, and reasonable accommodations.
Continue Reading Handling COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates: Federal Agencies Continue to Issue Guidance

On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety. The order directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to take action to reduce the risk that workers may contract COVID-19 in the workplace. On June 10, 2021, OSHA announced a highly-anticipated Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) setting forth steps that employers in the healthcare industry must take to protect workers from COVID-19 risks while the pandemic is ongoing. The ETS will become effective 14 days after it is formally published in the Federal Register.
Continue Reading OSHA Announces COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare Industry