Overview
Ashley Fischer advises clients across all sectors of the healthcare industry on their most critical transactions and collaborations. Her health antitrust practice makes her a valuable partner to healthcare businesses as they work to expand and pursue their strategic business initiatives.
Ashley routinely counsels on potential healthcare transactions and has successfully defended numerous provider mergers and competitor collaborations through federal and state antitrust enforcement agency review. Her counsel, with respect to the antitrust implications of the formation and operation of joint ventures and competitor collaborations, including managed care contracting networks such as clinically integrated networks (CINs), accountable care organizations (ACOs) and independent practice associations (IPAs), is highly sought-after.
Ashley also counsels health industry clients on ongoing conduct and compliance matters, including managed care contracting practices, exclusive services agreements, restrictive covenants, integrated delivery systems and vertical integration, and participation in information exchanges.
Ashley is partner-in-charge of the firm’s Health Practice Group in Chicago. Previously, she served as a member of the firm’s Management Committee and as a vice chair of the American Health Lawyers Association’s Antitrust Practice Group.
Results
- Successfully defended hospital merger investigations of in-market competitors
- Counseled more than 50 provider contracting networks (CINs, ACOs, IPAs, PHOs) on their formation and operation, including the antitrust implications concerning the sufficiency of clinical integration programs and substantial financial risk sharing, joint contracting and size of network, messenger-model compliance, value-based payor contracts, shared savings models and hospital-efficiency contracts, and Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) requirements
- Successfully defended against antitrust enforcement agency investigations of provider contracting networks
- Advised on competitor collaborations and joint ventures, including quality and cost-sharing initiatives, joint purchasing arrangements, co-marketing arrangements, information exchanges, and trade association formation and operation
- Successfully defended antitrust claims brought by physicians against health systems
- Counseled clients across all sectors of the health industry regarding ongoing conduct matters such as those involving vertical integration, distribution, restrictive covenants, exclusivity arrangements, restrictive payor contract provisions and economic credentialing
- Developed antitrust compliance policies, programs, firewalls and audits for clients across all sectors of the health industry
Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Band 2 in Healthcare, 2017-2024
- Best Lawyers in America, Healthcare Law, 2015-2025
- Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year in Chicago: Healthcare Law, 2024
- Illinois Super Lawyers, 2016-2022
- BTI Client Service All-Star, 2019 and 2022
- Crain’s Chicago Business, Notable GenX Leader, 2019
- Acritas Stars, 2020
- Law & Politics, Rising Star, 2009-2010
- Nightingale’s Healthcare News, Outstanding Healthcare Antitrust Lawyer, 2006
Community
- American Health Lawyers Association, Antitrust Practice Group, vice chair, 2017 to 2022
- American Bar Association, Antitrust Section, Health Care Committee Recent Developments, former editor
Credentials
Education
Northwestern University School of Law, JD, 2000
Georgetown University, BA, cum laude, 1996
Admissions
Illinois
