Deborah Kantar Gardner is a Boston-based partner in Ropes & Gray’s health care practice. Ms. Gardner’s practice focuses on Medicare and Medicaid payment, compliance and enforcement matters, as well as administrative and judicial litigation in connection with Medicare and Medicaid appeals. Deborah’s clients include hospitals and health systems, physician practices, managed care organizations, laboratories, dialysis and pharmaceutical companies, durable medical equipment suppliers and community-based social service providers. Deborah defends hospitals and health systems as well as other health care entities in connection with state and federal civil false claims act investigations alleging Medicare/Medicaid fraud. She represents clients in appeals of Recovery Audit Contractor, Zone Program Integrity Contractor and Medicaid Integrity Contractor audits as well as in Provider Reimbursement Review Board appeals. Deborah counsels hospitals on Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark law, and other federal health care program laws. She represents hospitals in connection with quality data reporting, survey and certification issues, and Medicare cost report issues and advises managed care organizations in connection with contracting.