Stanton J. Stock

Stanton Stock appreciates the critical importance of ensuring providers have the resources they need to care for patients and fulfill their missions. His practice includes the representation of nursing facilities, hospices, home health agencies, pharmacies, hospitals, and multi-campus providers in a wide variety of matters. His extensive knowledge of regulatory and reimbursement issues has made him particularly adept at protecting his clients’ rights in investigations, complex audits, administrative proceedings, and appeals. 

With respect to Medicare/Medicaid audits and appeals, Stan is well-versed in cost reimbursement principles and has represented providers through all phases of an audit, from responding to the auditors’ entrance letter to litigating writs and appeals of final administrative decisions. 

In fraud and abuse matters, Stan has represented providers in responding to civil investigative demands, administrative subpoenas, negotiating False Claims Act settlements, negotiating corporate integrity agreements, and defending against allegations of fraud and abuse in formal civil litigation. He has significant experience in leading clients through all aspects of internal and external investigations as well as litigation. He also writes and speaks extensively about topics related to financial audits and investigations. 

Stan joined Hooper, Lundy & Bookman after serving as a law clerk to the Hon. Manuel L. Real in the United States District Court, Central District of California, from 2012-2013.  

Before attending law school, Stan worked as a San Diego County Paramedic. That experience has made health care delivery deeply personal for Stan. He has used his legal knowledge to provide pro bono assistance to local paramedic organizations, such as the San Diego County Paramedic Association, which he helped obtain its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. He also researched complex questions of law affecting Trek Medics International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving emergency medical systems in communities without reliable access to emergency care. These organizations are committed to improving their respective communities, and Stan takes pride in assisting them in their endeavors.

Representative Matters

Reimbursement audits and appeals

• Represented a large skilled skilling nursing facility chain in a Medi-Cal audit and administrative appeal concerning reimbursement of home office nursing costs.
• Represented a large skilled nursing facility chain in a Medi-Cal audit and administrative appeal related to the reasonableness, necessity, and allocation of its home office costs under California AB 1629’s rate reimbursement methodology.
• Represented a national hospice provider in a Medi-Cal audit appeal conducted by the Department of Health Care Services, Medical Review Branch, related to the documentation of medical necessity.
• Represented a large skilled nursing facility chain in Medi-Cal audit conducted by the California Department of Health Care Services’ Financial Audits Branch of related party determinations concerning an administrative services organization.
• Represented a large skilled nursing facility chain in a petition for writ of mandamus concerning purported overpayments collected in a Medi-Cal billing audit.

Fraud, abuse, and substandard care

• Represented skilled nursing facilities in responding to administrative subpoenas issued by the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, Bureau of Medical Fraud and Elder Abuse, and concurrent investigating agencies, with respect to allegations of substandard care and regulatory violations in the COVID-19 era.
• Represented a chain of skilled nursing facilities in responding to a False Claims Act investigation of purported overutilization of skilled therapy services.
• Represented a hospital and its clinical research program in responding to a False Claims Act Civil Investigative Demand reviewing compliance with Medicare secondary payer limitations.
• Represented numerous skilled nursing facilities in Departmental Appeals Board review of survey findings and penalties issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• Represented numerous nursing facilities in appeal of substandard quality of care survey findings set forth in 2567 issued by the Department of Public Health.