James A. Cannatti III advises healthcare, technology, and life sciences organizations on complex regulatory, compliance, and enforcement matters at the forefront of the evolving healthcare ecosystem. His practice spans digital health and health information technology (IT) policy, fraud and abuse compliance, and emerging regulatory risk areas, including in the diagnostics, life sciences services, research, pharmacy, and distribution space.
James counsels healthcare providers, diagnostics companies, health IT developers, and life sciences services and research companies on compliance with federal healthcare requirements, including the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and EKRA. He also represents clients in internal investigations and enforcement matters, drawing on his deep experience with government expectations and enforcement priorities to provide practical, regulator-informed guidance on navigating enforcement risk and regulatory change.
James’s advisory work frequently addresses cutting-edge regulatory topics and developments, including:
- Fraud and abuse risk and enforcement trends involving healthcare providers, diagnostics, laboratory services, and life sciences companies
- Internal investigations and responses to government inquiries involving the US Department of Justice and the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG)
- Compliance with the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 in complex commercial arrangements
- Digital health enforcement and compliance risks, including remote patient monitoring and telehealth
- Information blocking and interoperability requirements under the 21st Century Cures Act
- Health IT certification, APIs, and data-sharing obligations
Before entering private practice, James spent more than a decade at the OIG, where he held a range of roles, including serving as its first Senior Counselor for Health Information Technology. In that role, he worked on the development, interpretation, and enforcement of federal healthcare policy affecting providers, health IT developers, and other industry stakeholders.
While in law school, James served as a managing editor of the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution.
- Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Fabulous Partner Award, 2017
- Inspector General’s Award for Advancing Excellence and Innovation, 2014
- Inspector General’s Award for Excellence in Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, 2014
- Inspector General’s Exceptional Achievement Award, 2009-2012 and 2014
- Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
- OIG Cooperative Achievement Award, 2011
- American Health Lawyers Association
- The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, JD, with honors
- George Washington University, BBA, magna cum laude
- District of Columbia
- Ohio
Insights, News & Events
Webinar / Virtual / June 2, 2026
Infusion Market Shifts: Benefit Design, Drug Acquisition, and Compliance Risks
Deal announcement / May 14, 2026
McDermott Will & Schulte advises Lorient Capital on investment in PeterMD
Las Vegas, NV / Speaking engagement / April 26 – April 30, 2026
Client alert / February 20, 2026
Article / January 27, 2026
The good, the unexpected, and the unanswered: Advisory Opinion 25-11 addresses discounts ...
Client alert / January 7, 2026
ASTP’s HTI-5 relaxes certification criteria while tightening information blocking exceptions
Webinar / Speaking engagement / November 20, 2025
Report / October 2025
Healthcare Regulatory Check-Up Newsletter | September 2025 Recap
Client alert / February 20, 2026
Article / January 27, 2026
The good, the unexpected, and the unanswered: Advisory Opinion 25-11 addresses discounts ...
Client alert / January 7, 2026
ASTP’s HTI-5 relaxes certification criteria while tightening information blocking exceptions
Report / October 2025
Healthcare Regulatory Check-Up Newsletter | September 2025 Recap
Article / October 31, 2025
Article / October 24, 2025
Navigating EKRA compliance: Legal developments in percentage-based marketing arrangements
Las Vegas, NV / Speaking engagement / April 26 – April 30, 2026
Webinar / Speaking engagement / November 20, 2025
Park City, Utah / Speaking engagement / September 9 -10, 2025
Chicago, IL & Virtual / In-person / October 9, 2024
Healthcare Litigation, Compliance and Investigations Forum 2024
Webinar / Virtual / June 25, 2024
Key Takeaways | Information Blocking: Defense of Cures Act Investigations and Enforcement
New York / In-person / April 10-11, 2024
Los Angeles / HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association / October 9, 2023
How Not to Lose $1 Million: Preparing for OIG’s Information Blocking Enforcement
Global Legal Chronicle / May 10, 2023
Chicago / Deal announcement / May 4, 2023
McDermott Represents Option Care Health in $3.6 Billion Merger with Amedisys
Law360 / May 3, 2023
Chicago / Deal announcement / May 2, 2023
McDermott Represents CVS Health in $10.6 Billion Acquisition of Oak Street Health
Global Legal Chronicle / April 26, 2023
Vytalize Health’s Acquisition of Independent Physician Association of New York
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