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Payal Nanavati

Counsel | She/Her/Hers
Counsel | She/Her/Hers
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Areas of Focus

Overview

Payal Nanavati is a counsel in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, where she practices in the Health Care and Government Contracts groups. Payal’s practice covers a wide range of investigation, counseling, and litigation matters for companies in the government contracts and health care industries, two of the most highly regulated industries in the United States. Payal advises and advocates for government contractors and health care entities facing government investigations or high stakes litigation, with a particular focus on the False Claims Act, which is a heightened risk for members of both industries. Payal helps clients conduct internal investigations and strategically navigate regulatory inquiries, civil investigative demands, and subpoenas issued by federal and state agencies. In addition to her investigations practice, Payal regularly litigates high-value disputes between government contractors and the U.S. government under the Contract Disputes Act. Payal also conducts compliance reviews and proposes enhancements of contractor compliance programs for contractors or grant recipients of all sizes.

Payal is a co-host of Crowell & Moring’s health care podcast, Payers, Providers, and Patients – Oh My!, which covers legal and regulatory issues that affect health care entities’ in-house counsel, executives, and investors.

Payal’s recent pro bono representations include clients seeking asylum or legal immigration status under the Violence Against Women Act and successfully defending against eviction attempts by a client’s landlord. During law school, Payal served as a staff member for the Journal of Gender and Law.

Career & Education

    • Columbia Law School, J.D., 2017
      Journal of Gender and Law: staff member
    • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.S., highest honors, 2013
    • Columbia Law School, J.D., 2017
      Journal of Gender and Law: staff member
    • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.S., highest honors, 2013

    • District of Columbia
    • New York
    • District of Columbia
    • New York

Payal's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.08.25

DOJ and HHS Launch FCA Working Group: Heightened Enforcement Risk for Health Care Entities

On July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly announced the formation of a False Claims Act (FCA) Working Group. This new initiative underscores a coordinated federal enforcement strategy focused on identifying and addressing fraud in federally funded health care programs, particularly Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care. The announcement comes days after Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of DOJ’s Criminal Division, announced the results of the “largest coordinated health care fraud takedown in the history of the Department of Justice”  and the creation of a “Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center” comprised of data specialists that will “break down information silos, using coordinated data analysis to enable our investigative teams to quickly identify and dismantle emerging fraud schemes.” Taken together, these announcements demonstrate the DOJ’s effort—in both civil and criminal divisions—to strengthen its collaboration with HHS to investigate and prosecute health care fraud....

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Representative Matters

  • Representing major defense contractors in defending against claims of defective pricing and violations of Cost Accounting Standards at the ASBCA.
  • Representing a hospital system in disclosing potential overpayments pursuant to the HHS OIG Self-Disclosure Protocol.
  • Representing a federal contractor in the aerospace industry in a qui tam suit.
  • Defending leading health plan in class action litigation and investigations by state/federal regulators concerning compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and state parity laws.
  • Conducting an internal investigation regarding compliance with Foreign Military Financing program requirements.
  • Representing clients in the development, enhancement, and implementation of compliance programs.
  • Assessing the reasonableness of legal advice concerning Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute compliance to help draft an expert report for an FCA litigation.
  • Representing federal government contractor in audit negotiations with DCAA and DCMA, resulting in elimination and reduction of questioned costs.
  • Providing regulatory counseling and preparing and submitting regulatory filings associated with the acquisition of two academically affiliated hospitals.
  • Drafting comments for a health care client’s response to agencies’ Requests for Information seeking input about changes to the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute.

Payal's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.08.25

DOJ and HHS Launch FCA Working Group: Heightened Enforcement Risk for Health Care Entities

On July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly announced the formation of a False Claims Act (FCA) Working Group. This new initiative underscores a coordinated federal enforcement strategy focused on identifying and addressing fraud in federally funded health care programs, particularly Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care. The announcement comes days after Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of DOJ’s Criminal Division, announced the results of the “largest coordinated health care fraud takedown in the history of the Department of Justice”  and the creation of a “Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center” comprised of data specialists that will “break down information silos, using coordinated data analysis to enable our investigative teams to quickly identify and dismantle emerging fraud schemes.” Taken together, these announcements demonstrate the DOJ’s effort—in both civil and criminal divisions—to strengthen its collaboration with HHS to investigate and prosecute health care fraud....

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Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.08.25

DOJ and HHS Launch FCA Working Group: Heightened Enforcement Risk for Health Care Entities

Webinar | 06.26.25 - 09.25.25

HOOPS 2025

Podcast | 06.16.25

Payers, Providers, and Patients – Oh My!: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Client Alert | 5 min read | 03.28.25

HHS Announces “Dramatic Restructuring”

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Practices

Payal's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.08.25

DOJ and HHS Launch FCA Working Group: Heightened Enforcement Risk for Health Care Entities

On July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly announced the formation of a False Claims Act (FCA) Working Group. This new initiative underscores a coordinated federal enforcement strategy focused on identifying and addressing fraud in federally funded health care programs, particularly Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care. The announcement comes days after Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of DOJ’s Criminal Division, announced the results of the “largest coordinated health care fraud takedown in the history of the Department of Justice”  and the creation of a “Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center” comprised of data specialists that will “break down information silos, using coordinated data analysis to enable our investigative teams to quickly identify and dismantle emerging fraud schemes.” Taken together, these announcements demonstrate the DOJ’s effort—in both civil and criminal divisions—to strengthen its collaboration with HHS to investigate and prosecute health care fraud....

View All Insights