Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville has expanded its national drug pricing and 340B practice with the addition of attorney Brad Lang who recently joined the firm as Counsel. Brad’s arrival will strengthen the firm’s drug pricing team, which has represented safety net providers and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug pricing program since the program’s inception in 1992.
Prior to joining Powers, Brad worked for more than 12 years at the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Office of Pharmacy Affairs administering the 340B drug pricing program. Brad’s practice will concentrate on providing guidance to safety net providers participating in the 340B program, as well as pharmacies, software vendors, consultants and other stakeholders that support 340B providers.
As Counsel, Brad will join Principals Bill von Oehsen, Barbara Straub Williams, Peggy Tighe, Jim Jorling and Ron Connelly, as well as Associate Shuchi Parikh and several others, in the Powers 340B practice. Bill von Oehsen has led the firm’s 340B team for more than 15 years.
Bill von Oehsen has more than 20 years of experience on pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement matters, including the 340B drug discount program, the Medicaid drug rebate program, Medicare Part D, Robinson-Patman and state Medicaid and pharmacy laws. He played a key role in helping to enact the 340B program in 1992, as well as to expand the law in 2010 under the Affordable Care Act.
Additionally, Bill has helped to establish and serves as outside counsel to 340B Health, an advocacy organization of more than 1,300 public and private nonprofit hospitals participating in the 340B program. He also helped organize the 340B Coalition, which now represents a dozen national organizations whose members comprise virtually all of the safety net providers participating in the 340B program.
Barbara Straub Williams has 30 years of experience in advising healthcare providers on a wide range of federal and state regulatory programs, with a focus on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues and the federal 340B drug discount program.
She provides guidance to clients on complex regulatory compliance issues and acts as counsel in responding to audits and making disclosures to the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Office of Pharmacy Affairs and other federal and state government entities. She also represents providers before the Provider Reimbursement Review Board.
Peggy Tighe works with the Powers Healthcare and the Government Relations and Public Policy teams. Her 340B work is focused on helping 340B hospitals and Ryan White clinics and their respective national organizations to preserve and protect the 340B program. Peggy has more than 25 years of experience working with physicians, hospitals and patient groups through her work at the the American Medical Association and dozens of national coalitions and organizations, including 340B Health and Ryan White Clinics for 340B Access.
Peggy focuses her practice on lobbying, coalition building, crafting and implementing grass roots campaigns and coordinating media relations. Her extensive government relations and advocacy experience is invaluable to clients who need in-depth insight and hands-on work with Congress, especially those seeking to advance legislation to passage and through regulatory implementation.
Jim Jorling’s primary areas of expertise include Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, fraud and abuse laws, Medicare managed care (Part D and Medicare Advantage, Part C), telemedicine regulation, pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manage reform.
Jim advises healthcare providers and related organizations of all types, including physicians and physician groups, hospitals, pharmacies, independent diagnostic testing facilities, telehealth and telemedicine providers, specialty, mail and retail pharmacies and DME suppliers.
Ron Connelly represents acute care hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, academic medical centers, physicians and other providers on a variety of healthcare matters, with a particular focus on litigation related to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. He handles drug pricing matters involving the Administrative Procedure Act and APA-related litigation.
Ron has extensive experience litigating large dollar specialty payments, such as Medicare graduate medical education, and is a leader of the firm’s practice representing providers in audits and appeals of Medicare coverage determinations. This includes denials resulting from audits by Recovery Audit Contractors, Zone Program Integrity Contractors and Medicare Administrative Contractors.
Shuchi Parikh has experience counseling a variety of 340B covered entities, including hospitals, federally qualified health centers, Ryan White clinics and others. She counsels clients on appealing audit findings; internal and external 340B program audits; preparing self-disclosure letters; and evaluating compliance with Medicaid billing and reimbursement for 340B drugs.
Additionally, Shuchi handles drafting and reviewing contract pharmacy agreements; analyzing the anti-kickback risks of 340B partnerships; general compliance advice and written analysis; and advocacy and coalition building.
Powers brings decades of experience advocating for safety net providers and their allies. The firm testifies and advocates before state legislatures, state and federal executive branch officials and Congress. The 340B practice also forms and leads coalitions specific to the 340B program where its team of 340B attorneys uses its legal, policy, and advocacy skills to advance its clients’ interests on Capitol Hill and with federal and state agencies.
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About Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville is a Washington, DC-based law firm with national healthcare, education, government relations, Indian tribal governments and litigation practices. The firm represents healthcare organizations and companies, higher education institutions, tribal governments and organizations and non-profits. The Powers office is located in Washington, DC. For more information, follow us at @PowersLawFirm.
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