Sandra L. Heller

Sandra Heller is a South Florida attorney who focuses her national practice on healthcare reimbursement disputes between providers and both private and governmental payers. Ms. Heller works closely with behavioral healthcare facilities, hospitals, health systems and other providers to resolve reimbursement disputes efficiently and without disrupting provider-payer relationships. Ms. Heller understands the importance of maintaining strong relationships with commercial payers while concurrently defending the interests of a wide range of healthcare clients. From internal audits and investigations to the resolution of denied or delayed reimbursement claims, healthcare providers value Ms. Heller's experience on both sides of reimbursement disputes.

A skilled litigator, Ms. Heller has extensively litigated claims governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and other healthcare benefits disputes in both state and federal courts across the country and  in arbitrations administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Ms. Heller also advises clients in the identification and prevention of complex fraud schemes, as well as seeking civil recovery on their behalf. Ms. Heller analyzes, counsels, investigates and litigates civil recovery actions in multiclaim insurance fraud cases on behalf of national property and casualty insurers.

In addition, Ms. Heller has extensive experience with fraud, waste and abuse schemes involving Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Bodily Injury (BI) and Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) related coverages in state and federal courts. She also litigates bankruptcy actions involving providers who seek protections to avoid litigation of fraud, waste and abuse claims. In addition, Ms. Heller guides and supports insurance clients by implementing strategies resulting from key legislative changes and regulatory reporting responsibilities. She assists in fraud investigations throughout the United States, and her work has created impactful and transformative case law in this arena.

Ms. Heller is an active speaker, often sharing her knowledge of insurance fraud at conferences nationwide. She began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Tarrant County in Fort Worth, Texas, where, among other things, she was a member of the elite Crimes Against Children Unit, in which she took more than 90 prosecutions to jury verdict.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Heller was a board member and co-chair of the fraud and recovery practice group for a national law firm.