Manatt's Joel Ario, a managing director with Manatt Health, spoke to Modern Healthcare about the critical issues that await incoming HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who was confirmed by the Senate on June 5, 2014.
Modern Healthcare reports that Burwell faces major issues related to implementation of the federal healthcare law and a narrow window to prepare for the 2015 open-enrollment period.
Ario said a key task for Burwell will be managing the agency's relationships with state governments and insurers.
In particular, he cited ongoing concerns about adequate provider networks for health plans sold on the exchanges, and what role HHS will play in regulating that structure, as critical issues going forward. Ario believes that the federal government would be wise to largely defer to state regulators in establishing rules for provider networks.
"Those are particularly important issues for this secretary, because while she comes with stellar credentials, they don't include working with states or insurers," Ario said. "Those two constituencies are very important for her to reach out to."
Read the article here.