Sam Orbovich

Sam advises, litigates and speaks on the many issues arising under the state and federal laws governing health care providers, including Medicaid, Medicare, the Vulnerable Adults Act and licensing regulations.

With over thirty years of experience in legal issues facing Medicaid and Medicare providers, Sam is an effective advocate and trusted adviser to skilled nursing facilities, HCBS waiver group homes, medical equipment vendors, home health agencies and assisted living facilities, as well as other licensed health professionals. Sam has successfully represented providers before civil trial and appellate courts and federal and state administrative agencies. Clients turn to Sam to help unravel the complexity of state and federal regulations, and to achieve or maintain compliance with those complicated laws. Sam often serves as a general counsel to many of his health care clients, who rely on his legal abilities and advice to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective way to handle challenging situations.

• Successfully sought and obtained a federal court temporary restraining order blocking $55 million in cuts to home and community-based waivered service providers, and then resolved the litigation by negotiating a settlement.
• On behalf of residential providers and home care agencies, won reversals of state maltreatment determinations that erroneously placed culpability on the provider for serious injuries and death resulting from falls, bed-rail entanglements, medication errors and other circumstances.
• Successfully reversed or negotiated civil money penalties, immediate jeopardy determinations and other survey sanctions imposed by CMS against skilled nursing facilities participating in the Medicaid and Medicare programs.

Education

• Capital University Law School, J.D., 1978
• Denison University, B.A., 1974

Admissions

• Minnesota, 1982
• Ohio, 1978
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1982
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1985

• Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, 2024
• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2015, 2017-2019, 2022

Professional Activities

• MSBA, Chair, Administrative Law Governing Council, 2012-2013
• ARRM, Board of Directors, 2013
• 1995 Vulnerable Adults Act, Reform Initiative Working Group

Community

• Lyndale Congregational UCC, Stewardship Council, 1995-2005