Rafael is a partner in Cattie & Gonzalez, PLLC. He practices Medicare and Medicaid secondary payer law.

Rafael earned his Jurisprudence Doctorate degree from the Florida State University in 1990. After graduating from FSU, Rafael practiced social security disability, workers’ compensation, longshore and harbor workers’ compensation, and personal injury law in Tampa, FL. He then served as corporate counsel for FCCI Insurance Company in Sarasota, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Medicare Set Aside Administration and Center for Lien Resolution in Clearwater, Vice President of Medicare and Medicaid Compliance at Gould & Lamb, LLC in Bradenton, Vice President of Strategic Solutions at Helios in Tampa, President of Flagship Services Group in Denver, and President of UnitedHealth/Optum Settlement Solutions in Tampa.

Since 1993, Rafael has published numerous articles, book chapters, and books, including his series on Workers’ Compensation, Permanent Total Disability, Social Security Disability, and Medicare Set Asides. Since 2000, he has also taught workers’ compensation and social security disability, and Medicare/Medicaid law at the FSU College of Law, Stetson University College of Law, USF Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, USF Department of Occupational Medicine, USF College of Public Health, and the University of Tampa.

Rafael lectures frequently on a national basis on the history, substance, and legislative composition of the US workers’ compensation system, the federal social security disability system, and the interplay between both of these systems’ medical benefit structure, including the Medicare Secondary Payer Act’s requirements affecting both. 

Due to his expertise in these areas, he has been actively engaged in the workers’ compensation, social security, and Medicare/Medicaid legislative process at both the state and federal levels. Since 1993, Rafael has attended hearings, testified before legislative committees, testified before executive commissions, provided opinions on proposed legislation, and served as a consultant to legislative and congressional staff on these substantive areas.

Travis W. Smith joined the law firm of Burns White in 1999 as a law clerk, and is a Member of the firm and is the Chair of the firm's Medicare Compliance Practice Group.

Mr. Smith focuses on addressing Medicare issues in workers' compensation and liability settlements. This includes preparing Medicare Set-Aside Arrangements and having the same approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure that Medicare's interests have been adequately considered as required by the Medicare Secondary Payer Statute.In addition, he helps parties come to a settlement that protects both their own interests, as well as Medicare's.

Mr. Smith received his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1997 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2000. While at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, he participated in the Appellate Moot Court Competition. Mr. Smith also served as a law clerk for the Washington County Legal Aid Society in 1998.Mr. Smith is admitted to the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations. He is also admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He is an active member of various community and professional organizations.Areas Of Law

Medicare Compliance Litigation Social Security Workers' Compensation

Education

University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 2000) Johns Hopkins University (B.S., 1997)

Bar and Court Admissions

Pennsylvania United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Memberships

Pennsylvania Bar Association Allegheny County Bar Association

Honors/Awards

Selected for inclusion on the 2008 and 2010-2013 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® "Rising Stars" lists