Jennifer E. Laratonda joined Kennedy, PC Law Offices in 2003.  Ms. Laratonda is the firm’s lead attorney for the state of New Jersey.  Ms. Laratonda uses a combination of Medicaid eligibility processes, guardianship proceedings, and collections actions to ensure proper reimbursement for the services rendered by her clients.  She works closely with the New Jersey Department of Medical Assistance and Health Services and the county Boards of Social Services regarding the interpretation of federal and state Medicaid regulations and the determination of Medicaid eligibility for skilled nursing and assisted living residents.  

Ms. Laratonda is also involved in corporate matters for various clients, including regulatory compliance, Medicare civil rights clearance, contract issues, corporate filing issues for change of ownership matters, and corporate filings for the formation of corporations and limited liability companies.  Additionally, Ms. Laratonda has experience filing Medicaid Audit and Case Mix Rate Appeals for numerous skilled nursing facilities.  Ms. Laratonda is admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey and in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.  She is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association. 

Ms. Laratonda has served as a faculty member for the Health Care Association of New Jersey, the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, and the Mercer Allegheny Area Agency on Aging.  Speaking topics include the Deficit Reduction Act, advanced directives, Powers of Attorney, end of life and guardianship issues, and Medicaid eligibility and collections matters.

Ms. Laratonda received her undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University in June of 2000.  She received her law degree from the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University in May 2003.  While attending law school, she traveled to universities across Europe, providing her the opportunity to learn from internationally renowned professors, including the late Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.  As a student, Ms. Laratonda worked as a legal intern in the Legal Department at Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (“PHEAA”).  During her internship at PHEAA, she researched employment law issues and debtor/creditor issues.  In addition, Ms. Laratonda was admitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania as a student practitioner during her employment with PHEAA in her last year of law school.

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, Do You Have the Tools You Need?:  How to Ensure the Collection of Accounts Receivables from All Sources, including Medicaid and Private Pay, Health Care Association of New Jersey Annual Conference, October 2008

Speaker, The Deficit Reduction Act and the Impact on Medicaid Eligibility, Admissions Process, and Collection Efforts, Health Care Association of New Jersey Annual Conference, October 2007

Speaker, DPW’s Implementation of the Deficit Reduction Act and the Impact on Medicaid Eligibility, Admissions Process, and Collection Efforts, Pennsylvania Health Care Association Annual Conference, September 2007

Speaker, Act 42 and Its Fall Out: The New Medicaid Provider Reimbursement System and Revisions to MA Eligibility Criteria, Pennsylvania Health Care Association Annual Conference, September 2006

Speaker, Obtaining Medicaid Eligibility/Schiavo Case: Who Can Providers Rely on for Financial and Health Care Decision Making?, Annual Mercer Allegheny Area Agency on Aging Convention, March 2006

Speaker, Guardianships, Advanced Directives, POAs, Responsible Parties, Family Members, and the Impact of the Terri Schiavo Case:  Who Can Providers Rely upon to Make Health Care and Financial Decisions, Pennsylvania Health Care Association Annual Conference, September 2005