Manatt Health Solutions Selected as Primary Consultant on Massachusetts Connector Health Reform Transition Strategy
NEW YORK, NY and BOSTON, MA - June 14, 2011 - The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority (the Connector), the nation’s first health insurance exchange, has announced that it has selected Manatt Health Solutions and Mercer Health & Benefits to serve as the principal consultants in developing a strategic plan to help the Connector comply with the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements and build on its success in the next three years.
“In 2006 the Commonwealth enacted its landmark health reform legislation, and we are now seeking to evaluate this Connector structure and operations in the context of new ACA requirements, taking into account the lessons we’ve learned from operations to date. We will develop a strategic plan that will provide a roadmap and timeline for the Connector to transition its operations to ACA compliance in 2014 and build on its earlier successes to enhance its value to Massachusetts small business and consumers” said Kaitlyn Kenney, director of policy & research and coordinator of national health care reform, for the Connector.
Manatt partnered with Mercer, a global employee benefits and human resource firm, to leverage their combined credentials and capabilities in advising on Health Benefit Exchange policy, planning and implementation issues. The experience that Manatt and Mercer offer spans all segments of the health care sector, including working for and with state governments and state-designated entities, health insurers (commercial and public), providers, and consumer advocacy organizations. This broad range of experience allows the Manatt/Mercer team to design solutions and produce actionable recommendations that are rooted in the practical realities of public policy goals, business imperatives, legal requirements and program implementation needs.
“We’re very honored to be working with the Connector,” said Melinda Dutton, a partner in Manatt Health Solutions. “While Massachusetts has built an incredibly strong and successful exchange that is the model for the ACA’s American Health Benefit Exchanges, the Connector actually faces its own unique challenges with regard to implementing federal health care reform. We’re pleased to be helping the Connector craft solutions to meet these challenges, strengthening Massachusetts’ health benefit exchange and preparing for a successful transition in 2014 and beyond.”
Massachusetts has five years of experience in implementing and operating the major elements of federal health care reform articulated in the ACA and today operates a mature and successful Health Benefit Exchange serving 220,000 consumers in the Commonwealth.
About Manatt Health Solutions
Manatt Health Solutions is a division of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. Its interdisciplinary team provides strategic business advice, policy analysis, project implementation, and coalition building and advocacy services to clients in the areas of health information technology, healthcare access and coverage, including development of new healthcare delivery system models. MHS professionals also provide counsel on financing, reimbursement, restructurings, and mergers and acquisitions to clients in the healthcare sector. For more information, visit www.manatthealthsolutions.com.
About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is one of the nation's leading law firms, with offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Sacramento), New York (New York City and Albany) and Washington, D.C. The firm represents a sophisticated client base – including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies – across a range of practice areas and industry sectors. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.