Maria D. Garcia is a Partner and leads the Healthcare Practice at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton. For over 15 years, she has focused her practice on health care law and commercial litigation. She has extensive experience in managed care litigation and advising healthcare providers regarding Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health plan issues. Maria has led multiple multi-million-dollar managed care litigation matters in arbitration and state and federal courts. Maria also provides guidance to health care providers on various transactional legal issues, such as business expansion, federal and state regulatory compliance, practice formation, joint ventures, managed care contracting, and non-compete agreements.  She received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Florida International University (FIU), and earned her Juris Doctor from the FIU College of Law.

Maria’s work as a health care attorney has been recognized by Chambers USA, which has ranked her in the area of healthcare law for multiple years, and by Super Lawyers Magazine and the South Florida Legal Guide, who has named her a “Top Lawyer” in healthcare. Florida Trend Magazine also has named her as one of the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in the State of Florida. Maria has taught as an adjunct professor at the Florida International University College of Law focusing on health care law and Medicare and Medicaid compliance and reimbursement issues.

Maria is also devoted to her community. She served as a member of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women. She has also served as President of the Cuban American Bar Association and President of the FIU Alumni Association. Currently, Maria is the Chair of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and serves on the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services Board of Directors and FIU Law Dean’s council.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • Speaker, FIU Law, Women in Business and Law, 2025.
  • Speaker, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Annual Conference, 2025.
  • Speaker, FIU Law, Healthcare Law Symposium, 2023.
  • Speaker, Florida Bar, “The Road to a Potential Covid-19 Vaccine” Webinar, 2020.
  • Speaker, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Annual Conference, “Better Business Climate” Panel, 2017.
  • Speaker, Dade County Bar Association (DCBA) Annual Bench and Bar Conference, The Future of Healthcare Law Panel, 2016.
  • Speaker, Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Practicing with Professionalism Symposium, 2015.
  • Speaker, Dade County Bar Association (DCBA) Annual Bench and Bar Conference, Healthcare Law Panel, 2013.
  • Moderator, CABA’s Legal Aspects of Doing Business in the Americas Conference, 2013.

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

  • “CMS Finalizes New Rule Addressing Telehealth Benefits in Medicare Advantage Health Plans,” Florida Bar Health Law Updates, May 2019.
  • “Recent Trends in Managed Care Disputes” Presentation to Florida Hospital Association (FHA), Co-Author, 2017.
  • “Florida’s New PPO Balance Billing Prohibition: Outlook for Providers and Patients,” South Florida Legal Guide 2017 Edition.
  • “2016 Managed Care Update” Presentation to Florida Hospital Association (FHA), Co-Author, 2016.
  • “The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Releases List of Recent Licensure Actions Against Medical Providers,” Florida Bar Health Law Updates, May- June 2014.
  • “Florida Department of Health (DOH) Professional License Renewal Process Now Includes Continued Education Review,” Florida Bar Health Law Updates, February 2014.
  • “Consulting and Royalty Agreements with Physicians: A Look at this Business Relationship in Light of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute,” South Florida Legal Guide Midyear Edition 2012.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

It is extremely rewarding to be an attorney, and I have the opportunity to counsel my clients and guide them through issues in the healthcare industry every day – from litigation to how to grow their businesses and serve patients. It is also a great honor to give back to our community through my involvement in various organizations at the local and statewide level.