Carel is a principal in the Health Law Group of Ober|Kaler. She has practiced with the firm for more than twenty five years, representing hospitals, home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities on issues involving all aspects of the Medicare program, including wage index, medical education payments, provider-based issues, and provider enrollment. Her practice includes litigating Medicare reimbursement disputes before the Provider Reimbursement Review Board and in the federal court system, including the United States Supreme Court; advising clients on the Medicare aspects of transactions; assisting clients in the development and implementation of corporate compliance programs; and advising and defending clients on Medicare-related fraud and abuse issues involving allegations of improper billing and fraudulent cost reports.

Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia

Court of Appeals of Maryland

Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts

United States Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, Eleventh and District of Columbia Circuits

United States Supreme Court

Northeastern University School of Law, J.D., 1979

Upsala College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1970

American Bar Association

Health Law Forum

American Health Lawyers Association

Selected by Nightingale's Healthcare News as one of the Outstanding Hospital Lawyers for 2007

Carel is a frequent writer and lecturer on various Medicare issues. Recent articles and presentations include:

Author, "Review Of The OIG Work Plan FY 2007," Compliance Today, Health Care Compliance Association, 2007

Author, "FY 2007 Wage Index And The Occupational Mix Adjustment," Dennis Barry's Reimbursement Advisor, 2006

Author, "Provider Enrollment Process: The Details," Dennis Barry's Reimbursement Advisor, 2006

Author, "The FY 2007 Wage Index: Treatment of Post Retirement Costs A Significant Department From CMS 1994 Policy," Dennis Barry’s Reimbursement Advisor, 2006

Author, "Hospitals Face Increased Risks for Improper Discharge Coding," Health Law Alert, 2006

Author, "IRF 75 Percent Rule Blocked," Health Law Alert, 2005

Presenter, "Wage Index Issues," AHLA Medicare and Medicare Institute, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

Presenter, "Medicare Overview," D.C. Bar Association and GWU School of Public Health: Introduction to Health Law Series, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Co-presenter, "Medicare's New Provider Enrollment Rules: New Requirements for Every Organization That Bills Medicare," DecisionHealth Teleconference, 2006

Presenter, AHLA Teleconference on Wage Index and Geographic Reclassification Issues in Final FY 2005 Rules, 2004

Co-presenter, "8 Strategies To Protect Your Hospital Against the Government Crackdown on Outlier Fraud," Audio Conference sponsored by Medicare Compliance Alert, 2003

Co-presenter, AHLA Teleconference on New Provider-based Rules, 2002