Top Ten 2026: DOJ and HHS Civil Rights Enforcement in Health Care

Based on AHLA's annual Health Law Connections article, this special ten-part series brings together thought leaders from across the health law field to discuss the top ten issues of 2026. In the tenth episode, Jennifer Smith, Partner, Wright Lindsey & Jennings LLP, speaks with David O’Neal, Partner, Parker Hudson Rainer & Dobbs LLP, about the current landscape of federal civil rights enforcement in health care. They discuss DOJ’s Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, the government’s use of the False Claims Act to enforce civil rights laws, investigations of large educational institutions, and enforcement related to conscience and religious freedom protections. From AHLA’s Health Care Liability and Litigation Practice Group.

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRt4rt2wIec

Read AHLA's Top Ten 2026 article: https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/content-library/connections-magazine/article/a879dda5-35f9-46fb-ad45-1b0799343d74/Health-Law-Forecast-2026

Access all episodes in AHLA's Top Ten 2026 podcast series: https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/education-events/speaking-of-health-law-podcasts/top-ten-issues-in-health-law-podcast-series

Learn more about AHLA’s Health Care Liability and Litigation Practice Group: https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/practice-groups/practice-groups/health-care-liability-and-litigation