Abdie represents life sciences and health care companies in a broad spectrum of regulatory, fraud and abuse, and transactional matters. He has experience advising clients on government drug pricing requirements, proposed federal and state drug pricing laws, and Medicare and Medicaid coverage requirements. He also regularly handles due diligence and licensure analyses for health care practice transactions and assists clients with Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act investigations brought by the government.
Prior to joining Mintz, Abdie was an associate at a multinational law firm, where he handled regulatory and transactional matters for health care and pharmaceutical clients.
Abdie also maintains an active pro-bono practice, which has included working on legal issues involving compensation for veterans and immigration.
While earning his JD, Abdie served as a senior editor for the Stanford Law & Policy Review and as co-president of the Stanford Latinx Law Students Association. He also participated in the Youth and Education Law Project for the Mills Legal Clinic. In addition, he served as a government affairs intern for the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico at the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. In that role, he conducted research on legislation, including in connection with the government of Puerto Rico’s pursuit of expanded federal health care programs for the territory.
viewpoints
Will Sustained Pressure on the 340B Program Finally Lead to Much Needed Reform?
September 17, 2024 | Blog | By Abdie Santiago, Pat Ouellette
As we enter into the final months of 2024, new developments in the administration of the 340B Drug Pricing Program signal that additional reform may be on the way. Although recent revisions to the 340B program’s administrative dispute resolution (ADR) process represented a positive development in program reform, many questions remain as to how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) along with Congress may resolve stakeholder concerns with the drug pricing program’s future.
PBM Policy and Legislative Update — Summer 2024
July 31, 2024 | Blog | By Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Rachel A. Alexander, Bridgette Keller, Madison Castle, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Pat Ouellette, Alison H. Peters, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh, Sophia Temis
Mintz IRA Update — Third Edition: Q2 2024
July 15, 2024 | Blog | By Rachel A. Alexander, Theresa Carnegie, Madison Castle, Mitchell Clough, Tara E. Dwyer, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Bridgette Keller, Lauren Moldawer, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh
In ‘Third Edition: Q2 2024’ of the Mintz IRA Update, we cover updates to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program being considered by CMS, developments in litigation challenging the program, the consequences and costs of redesigning the Part D program, opposition to the use of march-in rights to lower drug prices, and the growing use of state prescription drug affordability boards.
340B Program Administrative Dispute Resolution Final Rule: Key Takeaways
May 16, 2024 | Blog | By Abdie Santiago, Pat Ouellette
On April 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a new Final Rule for its oft-criticized 340B Administrative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program (2024 Final Rule).
PBM Policy and Legislative Update — Winter 2024
May 2, 2024 | Blog | By Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Rachel A. Alexander, Bridgette Keller, Madison Castle, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh, Sophia Temis
Mintz is pleased to present its quarterly publication, PBM Policy and Legislative Update. This edition builds upon prior issues and summarizes activity from October through December 2023 that affects the PBM industry and will specifically highlight (i) federal legislative and enforcement updates, (ii) state legislative updates and litigation, (iii) other industry news, and (iv) Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) updates.
DOJ Releases COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force Report Touting Its Successes and Urging Lawmakers to Enact New Legislation
April 18, 2024 | Blog | By Jane Haviland, Abdie Santiago
The government’s continued dedication of resources to investigating and prosecuting fraud against COVID-19 pandemic relief programs appears to have borne fruit according to the results of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force’s (CFETF) report released on April 9, 2024. The CFETF, which represents a concerted effort across numerous federal agencies to investigate pandemic-related fraud, has, according to its 2024 report, succeeded in prosecuting over 3,500 defendants in criminal enforcement matters, in bringing civil enforcement actions resulting in more than 400 civil settlements and judgments, and in securing more than $1.4 billion in seizures and forfeitures. The report itself is a showcase of the CFETF’s COVID-19 fraud enforcement efforts to date.
Mintz IRA Update — Biden Administration Proposes Allowing Agencies to 'March-In' to Control Rising Drug Prices
February 21, 2024 | Blog | By Madison Castle, Abdie Santiago, Stephnie John
Read about the Biden administration’s backing of draft guidance to government agencies weighing the enforcement of march-in rights, which can allow federal agencies to require patent licenses to be given to third parties if a product was developed or conceived with federal funding assistance.
Mintz IRA Update — Second Edition: Q1 2024
February 21, 2024 | Blog | By Rachel A. Alexander, Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Madison Castle, Mitchell Clough, Xavier Hardy, Stephnie John, Bridgette Keller, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh
In this edition of the Mintz IRA Update, we cover the status of the negotiations underway between CMS and manufacturers pursuant to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program and current legal challenges to the program, other drug pricing–related IRA initiatives, the IRA’s small biotech exemption, implications associated with removing the average manufacturer price cap on Medicaid rebates, and the Biden administration’s proposed draft guidance on patent “march-in” rights.
Mintz IRA Update — Removal of AMP-Cap on Medicaid Rebates Causes Insulin Price Decrease
February 21, 2024 | Blog | By Bridgette Keller, Madison Castle, Abdie Santiago
Read about how the removal of the average manufacturer price (AMP) cap on Medicaid rebates prompted manufacturers to cut insulin prices to avoid significant payments to Medicaid.
Mintz IRA Update — Demystifying the IRA’s Small Biotech Exception
February 21, 2024 | Blog | By Xavier Hardy, Abdie Santiago
Read about the small biotech exception exempting certain drugs from the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for the years 2026, 2027, and 2028.