Government Relations & Public Policy

Working closely with Sonnenschein's Public Law & Policy Strategies Group — and its more than two dozen attorneys and other professionals — the Health Care Practice Group routinely handles policy, appropriations, and related matters for health care organizations.  Sonnenschein’s diverse group of attorneys and other professionals have considerable depth and expertise in the health policy arena.  Bruce Merlin Fried, for example, served as HCFA's Director of the Center for Health Plans and Providers, where he was responsible for policy and operations for the Medicare program.  Prior to that, Mr. Fried was Director of HCFA's Office of Managed Care, where he oversaw the rapid growth of the Medicare managed care program. 

Sonnenschein’s team also includes a former Republican Member of Congress, a former Senior Congressional Affairs staff for former President George H. W. Bush, and a former National Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.  Our clients also benefit from the experience of a former House Appropriations Clerk with more than two decades of experience in Federal appropriations, and a bipartisan team of former senior staff for Senators and House Members. 

• The Firm’s attorneys and professionals serve numerous entities, including hospitals, physician groups, trade associations, and medical and health information technology companies.  We represent our clients in the areas of health authorization, health appropriations, health regulation, Federal partnership development, medical research, physician scope of practice issues, and technology positioning/Federal market creation.
• Sonnenschein attorneys and professionals develop multi-tiered strategies to meet client objectives in the health policy arena, from developing legislation to increasing client visibility in a crowded health care market.  In an increasingly regulated and competitive market, policy considerations are an ever-present reality.
• Sonnenschein develops strategies to differentiate client technologies, leverage Congressional and agency support for client research and technology innovations, and meet regulatory and legislative challenges head on.