Michael E. Holzapfel is of counsel in the Monmouth County, New Jersey, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. where he focuses primarily on ERISA and employee benefits litigation. Insurers, self-funded plans, and third-party administrators turn to Michael for his institutional knowledge of benefits administration, coupled with his ability to understand the intricacies of federal and state insurance laws.
Michael prides himself on understanding his clients’ business operations and plan structures, and he approaches each case mindful of the delicate balance employers and employee organizations must strike when it comes to providing quality health coverage – whether through the purchase of insurance or on a self-funded basis – at sustainable costs. Michael is also keenly aware of how abusive and/or fraudulent billing practices directly impact both the cost and quality of healthcare, as reflected in higher premiums, more expensive services and patients’ potential exposure to unnecessary and potentially risky interventions. This unique institutional knowledge has made Michael a “go-to” lawyer for payers, plans, administrators, and fiduciaries across the country in coverage, reimbursement, medical necessity, benefits administration, and billing fraud disputes.
Over nearly twenty years of practice, Michael has also represented regional, national, and international businesses from inception through trial in complex disputes in the areas of products liability, consumer fraud, commercial real estate, and construction. Michael’s sophisticated understanding of such diverse industries allows him to deliver advice tailored to his clients’ unique needs and environment.
During law school Michael was an associate editor of the Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Lawrence M. Lawson, Assignment Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Monmouth County.
