About
Attorneys
PRACTICE AREAS
AT WORK
Frances D. Meehan focuses her practice on the health care industry, including legal and regulatory issues affecting nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, supportive-living facilities, hospices, home health agencies and other providers. Fran has represented over 90 nursing facilities (with a combined total of more than 15,000 beds) in a broad range of licensing, certification, operational and patient care matters. She regularly counsels and represents clients in complex and highly sensitive areas such as advanced directives, life-sustaining treatment decisions, involuntary transfers and discharges, allegations and investigations of abuse, and the survey process and plans of correction.
Fran also represents clients in administrative hearings before the Illinois Department of Public Health, the United States Department of Health & Human Services, the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the City of Chicago, and in discrimination matters before the U.S. Office of Civil Rights. She has successfully counseled and represented facilities and individuals under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Illinois State Police, and has refuted deficiencies in the Informal Dispute Resolution process and allegations that were originally cited as Immediate Jeopardy. Fran acts as compliance counsel under corporate integrity agreements, and monitors and assists insurance-appointed defense counsel in connection with civil suits.
IN THE PROFESSION
Fran has served as Chief Counsel for the Illinois Department of Public Health. A frequent speaker before legal associations, industry organizations and community groups, she has given more than 100 presentations on a broad range of health care topics, including patient abuse, life-sustaining treatment, involuntary transfer/discharge proceedings, confidentiality of records and life-safety code issues. She has served as a lecturer for the American Health Lawyers Association, the Illinois Council on Long-Term Care, the Illinois Healthcare Association, Life Services Network and the Illinois Nursing Home Administrators Association.
BACKGROUND
Chicago-Kent College of Law
J.D., 1977
Northern Illinois University
B.A., 1971
Fran is admitted to practice in Illinois.
RELATED ALERTS
Illinois Certificate of Need Program to Undergo Major Overhaul