Lauren's practice focuses on advising pharmacies, PBMs, managed care organizations and other payors on a variety of transactional, regulatory, and fraud and abuse matters.
Drawing from her experience working for the Federal Coordinated Health Care Office (the “Duals Office”) within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), she is able to provide practical advice to clients on regulatory and compliance issues relating to Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and Medicaid. She has advised clients on Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D applications, audit appeals, contract negotiations, and payment issues.
Lauren also focuses much of her practice on counseling clients on various matters relating to federal and state regulatory issues, including compliance with the anti-kickback statute, corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting prohibitions, telemedicine, and prescribing and licensing requirements. She has advised entities on compliance with the 340B Drug Pricing Program requirements. She also assists in representing clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, provider contracts, network development programs, and general contracting.
Prior to her tenure with CMS, she was a research consultant with a health care consulting company in the DC area, working primarily with state Medicaid agencies and Medicaid managed care plans. During law school, Lauren was a member of the George Washington Journal of Energy & Environmental Law and competed in the Van Vleck Moot Court Competition.
Education
- George Washington University (JD, with honors)
- Georgetown University (BS, cum laude)
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Viewpoints
News & Press
Mintz is advising a consortium of investors led by TPG Capital and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in their acquisition of Curo Health Services, one of the nation’s leading hospice providers. The definitive agreement was announced on April 23, 2018. The deal is valued at approximately $1.4 billion.
Mintz is advising a consortium of investors led by TPG Capital and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in their acquisition of Kindred Healthcare, Inc. The definitive agreement totals approximately $4.1 billion in cash including the assumption or repayment of net debt.
Events
The 6th Annual Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Industry Summit will provide attendees with a week of virtual seminars covering a variety of topics affecting the industry and driving change at an unprecedented rate.
Viewpoints
CMS Moves Forward with its D-SNP Proposals in its CY 2023 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule
May 10, 2022 | Blog | By Lauren Moldawer, Bridgette Keller
Continuing our series discussing the CY 2023 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule (Final Rule), this post focuses on the D-SNP related provisions under the Final Rule. As we discussed, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed significant modifications to its regulations governing Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs). CMS finalized the majority of its proposals with limited modifications. This blog summarizes some of the key D-SNP provisions, focusing on the modifications from the proposed rule and CMS’ commentary that provides insight into CMS’ priorities and focus areas. Please refer to our prior post on D-SNPs for a more in-depth overview of the proposals.
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Final Medicare Advantage and Part D Rule will Likely Require Medicare Advantage Plans to Update 2023 Bids under Maximum Out-of-Pocket (MOOP) Policy Changes
May 4, 2022 | Blog | By Bridgette Keller, Lauren Moldawer
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Final Rule on Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs (Final Rule) late last week. We summarized the major provisions of CY 2023 Proposed Rule in a blog series in January, noting that the proposals sought to increase consumer protections and reduce health disparities, with a strong emphasis on policies impacting individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. This is the first blog post in our series on the Final Rule in which we discuss policy changes to the maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) rules requiring that all cost-sharing, including cost sharing paid by secondary payors, be included in the calculations for MOOP.
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Medicaid Best Price 101: A Review of Medicaid Best Price Policy and New CMS Guidance on Medicaid Best Price Reporting for Value Based Purchasing Arrangements
April 26, 2022 | Blog | By Lauren Moldawer, Stephnie John
At the end of March 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance to drug manufacturers and states on reporting Medicaid Best Price under value based purchasing (VBP) arrangements (Medicaid Best Price Guidance or Guidance). This Guidance follows CMS’ final rule issued on December 31, 2020 (Final Rule) responding to criticism that Medicaid Best Price requirements are hindering the use of VBP arrangements. The Final Rule and Guidance will go into effect on July 1, 2022, allowing manufacturers to report multiple best prices for VBP arrangements so long as the manufacturer offers the VBP arrangement to state Medicaid programs. This blog post will begin with a “101” on the Medicaid Best Price Policy, and then delve into an overview of the Final Rule, including the surrounding criticism from stakeholders; summarize the Medicaid Best Price Guidance; and discuss the potential impact of this change on states and manufacturers
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Health Law Diagnosed — Transactions Part 2: The Role of Health Regulatory Diligence and How to Prepare for a Sell-Side Transaction
March 24, 2022 | Podcast | By Tara E. Dwyer, Xavier Hardy, Bridgette Keller, Lauren Moldawer, Cassandra Paolillo, Kate Stewart
Health Law Diagnosed — Transactions Part 1: Regulatory Trends in Recent Health Care Transactions
March 3, 2022 | Podcast | By Susan Berson, Xavier Hardy, Bridgette Keller, Lauren Moldawer, Cassandra Paolillo, Kate Stewart
2021 was a busy year for Mintz ’s Health Law team, as they helped clients navigate complex health care transactions.
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Removing Barriers to Second Chances
January 24, 2022 | Article
Mintz initiated many pro bono projects to combat systemic racism after the murder of George Floyd, including organizing Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information sealing clinics with the Lawyers Clearinghouse and conducting research for a Boston-based nonprofit into how housing authorities around the country evaluate applicants with open criminal charges.
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Building on the Success of Medicare-Medicaid Plans, CMS Proposes Modifications for D-SNPs
January 14, 2022 | Blog | By Lauren Moldawer, Stephnie John
As we noted, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) recently proposed its Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs rules (“Proposed Rule”) that would increase consumer protections and reduce health care disparities in Medicare Advantage (“MA”) and Part D. In the Proposed Rule, CMS proposes major modifications to its regulations governing Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (“D-SNPs”), which are MA products specifically for individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. These changes are informed by the success of CMS’ Financial Alignment Demonstration and Medicare-Medicaid Plans (“MMPs”). In fact, under the Proposed Rule, CMS is proposing that many key characteristics of MMPs be incorporated into D-SNPs. CMS is also proposing to update the definitions of Fully Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (“FIDE SNPs”) and Highly Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (“HIDE SNPs”) to incorporate successful characteristics of MMPs and to better clarify and differentiate these terms.
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The Biden Administration Releases Part II of its No Surprise Act Regulations, Sparking Criticism by Provider Groups
October 7, 2021 | Blog | By Lauren Moldawer
At the end of September, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury (collectively, the Departments), along with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), released Part II of its regulations implementing the No Surprise Act (the “Act”). The “Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part II” interim final rule (IFR) sets forth the Federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to determine the out-of-network payment rates. Major provider associations have released statements criticizing the IDR process and methodology for determining payment.
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Biden Administration’s Drug Pricing Plan Calls for Bold Action by Congress
September 10, 2021 | Blog | By Joanne Hawana, Theresa Carnegie, Lauren Moldawer
It’s finally here – the Drug Pricing Plan that President Biden ordered the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to produce by the end of August (the “Plan”) was released publicly by the Administration on September 9, 2021. The Plan makes it clear that the Biden Administration supports aggressive action to address rising drug prices, including controversial actions such as allowing HHS to negotiate the cost of Medicare Part B and D drugs. The Plan also outlines a set of administrative actions that HHS and its operating agencies can take, without the need for intervention by Congress. A notable gap in the Plan, however, is the Administration’s potential approach to manufacturer rebates and the Rebate Rule.
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Biden Administration Takes Aim at Rising Drug Prices through its Executive Order on Promoting Competition
July 20, 2021 | Blog | By Theresa Carnegie, Lauren Moldawer
On Friday, July 9th, President Biden released an Executive Order “to promote competition in the American economy” and to “to reduce the trend of corporate consolidation” (the “Order”). As part of this Order, the Biden Administration specifically targets competition in the pharmaceutical industry and sets forth policies to combat the high cost of prescription drugs. As the Administration’s first major policy initiative on drug pricing, this Order may serve as a preview of the Administration’s drug pricing reform agenda. For additional information about the Executive Order, please see our Antitrust colleagues' alert on the Order's initiatives specifically earmarked for the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.
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News & Press
Mintz Advises Kindred at Home in $5.7 Billion Sale to Humana
August 23, 2021
Mintz is advising a consortium of investors led by TPG Capital and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in their acquisition of Curo Health Services, one of the nation’s leading hospice providers. The definitive agreement was announced on April 23, 2018. The deal is valued at approximately $1.4 billion.
Mintz is advising a consortium of investors led by TPG Capital and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in their acquisition of Kindred Healthcare, Inc. The definitive agreement totals approximately $4.1 billion in cash including the assumption or repayment of net debt.
Lauren Moldawer, a Mintz Health Law Associate based in Washington, DC, authored this AHLA article providing a comprehensive look at the operations and particulars of Medicaid programs across the United States.
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