Dianne primarily represents health care entities in commercial disputes. She also
advises health care clients on matters of regulatory compliance and shares the
leadership of the firm’s Health Care practice group.
Dianne began her legal career as a judge advocate in the Marine Corps, and then
spent several years litigating insurance coverage and other complex commercial
disputes in Seattle and Honolulu. Prior to joining Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing in
2001, she was in-house as associate general counsel to Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. for five years.
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended a client health care plan from allegations of inadequate access to pharmacy services, in a high-visibility contested case proceeding commenced by a consumer advocacy group in the Insurance Division for the State of Hawai`i. This was a case of first impression in Hawai`i.
- Represented a health care plan client in a successful bid for a multi-million dollar contract to provide Medicaid managed care services in Hawai`i, in administrative and federal court actions, including successful challenges to unduly restrictive contract terms and burdensome agency interpretations.
- Successfully defended a benefit dispute on behalf of a health care plan, regarding complex medical procedures requested by a member of a Medicare Advantage plan, including an Administrative Law Judge hearing and various levels of appeal (Ninth Circuit appeal is still pending).
- Successfully defended a health care plan in litigation for damages and benefits due under an employee welfare benefit plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
- Successfully defended the credentialing decision of a health care plan affecting the clinical privileges of a participating physician against claims for damages as well as injunctive relief, obtaining summary judgment of immunity from monetary damages under the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA).
- Obtained a favorable interpretation of the Hawai`i medical necessity statute, HRS § 432E-1.4, in a benefits dispute involving a complex medical procedure which had been excluded from coverage by the health care plan. The decision of the appellate court reversed an agency interpretation which had caused difficulties in plan design and administration since its adoption.
Areas of Practice
- Health care coverage disputes
- Health insurance issues
- ERISA, COBRA, and Prepaid Health Care issues
- Administrative law and agency hearings
- Credentialing, peer review and health care quality improvement issues
- Medical risk management
- Seminars, advising and development of risk-prevention policies
Admitted to practice
- Hawai`i
- Washington (inactive)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai`i
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Affiliations
- Hawaii State Bar Association
- Washington State Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Health Law Section
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation, Director
- Hawaii Women Lawyers, Director
- Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health, Board Vice-Chair
Awards & Recognition
- Martindale-Hubbell BV rating (1999-present)
Education
- University of Washington School of Law, with honors (1987)
- University of Southern California, MS Systems Management (1984)
- University of Minnesota, BS Economics (1981)
Military Service
- United States Marine Corps, Captain (1981-1988)
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