The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will have an immediate and lasting impact on every player in the health care world and on every employer in the United States. Covington is uniquely qualified to help clients chart and navigate this evolving landscape. We have many years’ experience advising clients across the entire spectrum of the health care industry, including pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, state Medicaid programs and other governmental health programs, and employer group health plans. Independent surveys have repeatedly recognized our life sciences and employee benefits practices as among the best in the nation.
Covington’s team approach to legal practice is particularly well-suited to the new health reform law, which cuts across many industries and legal disciplines. Our health reform team is already advising affected parties on a wide variety of health reform issues. For example, we have been working closely with:
- a broad spectrum of employers (including both companies and governmental entities) to evaluate the impact of health reform, determine compliance strategies, and discuss key problem areas with the federal agencies that will interpret the law.
- a range of life sciences companies and trade associations to implement operational changes required by PPACA in areas from Medicaid rebates to comparative effectiveness to Sunshine Act provisions, and to develop strategic insight into the impact of PPACA on their business.
- a majority of the states to understand the impact of PPACA on state Medicaid programs.
- an array of clients seeking changes to the newly enacted and amended PPACA.
- potential sponsors of follow-on biologics to understand the likely approach of this new approval pathway by the Food & Drug Administration
Our cross-disciplinary health reform team includes lawyers who have served on the congressional committees and in the federal agencies that will shape health law for years to come. For example, members of our health reform team have served as Principal Associate Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Deputy General Counsel of HHS; Chief Counsel of the Food and Drug Administration; Deputy Secretary of Labor; Solicitor of Labor; Associate Benefits Tax Counsel in the Treasury Department; Chief Labor & Pensions Counsel for the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee; and Chief Counsel to the Senate Finance Committee.
Please use the links below to view practice descriptions, agency guidance, and client advisories for practice areas affected by health reform.
- Health Care Industry - Covington advises and represents pharmaceutical manufacturers, device manufacturers, and health care providers on issues involving reimbursement in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and issues of health information privacy. Our broad practice and deep-rooted understanding of the structure and operations of federal and state reimbursement programs enable us to develop workable solutions to complex problems and to assist our clients in developing strategies that provide a competitive advantage, minimize risk, and optimize opportunities. Whether we are providing advice, working with legislators, or negotiating with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), we have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to assist clients with the intricacies of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
- Employee Benefits - Covington has one of the country’s leading employee benefits and executive compensation practices. We represent public companies and governmental employers that provide health benefits to hundreds of thousands of active and retired workers. We are working closely with our clients on a wide array of issues that affect their group health plans and their relationships with health care providers, vendors, and administrators. Our lawyers are directly involved in ongoing efforts to shape the interpretation and application of the new health reform provisions and other recent laws affecting employer group health plans.
- Federal-State Programs - Covington has long counseled state and local governments on the statutes, regulations, and federal policies affecting the administration of federally-funded benefit programs. Over the last thirty years, we have represented every State in the nation, either individually or in coalitions, and currently represent a majority of the States.
- Food & Drug - Our Food and Drug Practice covers the entire spectrum of products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and related agencies, including pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, food, cosmetics, tobacco products, and animal drugs. Our practice includes representation before FDA and litigation at all levels in the federal courts. In addition, the firm has represented numerous clients in state food and drug law matters. In addition to representing individual companies, the firm has served as general counsel or principal outside counsel to over 20 trade associations in the food and drug area and related fields, including the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
- Government Affairs - The health care industry is characterized by dynamic growth and enormous complexity. Success in this sector requires a mastery of the regulatory environment and the political and legislative landscape. In collaboration with our extensive practices in other areas, our Government Affairs practice provides health care clients (whether as an private employer, a state or other governmental entity, or a health industry entity) with an interdisciplinary, strategic approach to the most complex and politically charged coverage, reimbursement and compliance issues.
Accolades
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