Rafael Gonzalez

Biography

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.

Education

• Advanced graduate work or PhD

Admissions/Licenses

• Bar Admissions: FL