This is, no doubt, a time of upheaval for those of us who are committed to improving lives by improving our healthcare system. But even during this time of extraordinary change, there are enduring constants that ground our work. The health system in the United States continues to be shaped by three dominant forces: the administration and agencies of the federal government; Congress, which creates the legal framework and funding for existing and new programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid and the more recently created ACA; and the private sector, composed of a variety of entities, including pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, patient advocacy groups, insurance companies, and professional associations, to name a few.
The company that I founded 16 years ago is, of course, part of the private sector. Before launching Applied Policy, I had experience at a major pharmaceutical company, at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implementing the Medicare Modernization Act, and on Capitol Hill, where I helped to shape the legislation that created Medicare Part D drug coverage, the Medicare Advantage Program, and added several preventive services to the Medicare program.

Given that I had worked in a variety of settings, colleagues often have asked what inspired me to land in the private sector, creating a consulting firm focused on healthcare reimbursement.

There was, of course, the motivation to shape my own business, test myself as a manager, and reap the results of my efforts. More than that, I wanted to have the latitude to offer a variety of creative approaches to solve new and recurring problems that prevented or slowed the delivery of superior healthcare to patients who deserved and needed it. This latitude, housed in the private sector, has become even more important as we navigate this new environment, which demands new approaches.

I invite you to join me and my staff here at Applied Policy as a client or colleague. As daunting as it may seem, I’m confident that we can manage this time of change to ensure that we discover and seize on the opportunities it presents to improve the lives of patients served by CMS programs.