Dr. Lu Zawistowich Rejoins Patton Boggs LLP

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Patton Boggs LLP is pleased to announce that Lu Zawistowich, Sc.D., a nationally-recognized expert on Medicaid and Medicare, has rejoined the firm as a senior public policy advisor in the firm's Health Care, FDA and Life Sciences practice group.

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During the course of her distinguished career in the public and private sectors, Dr. Zawistowich has held senior leadership positions at the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Dr. Zawistowich served as the founding executive director of MACPAC, which was launched under her leadership to be a trusted and credible resource for the Congress, states, and key stakeholders on Medicaid and CHIP policy.  During her tenure at MACPAC, she established the Commission's policy analysis framework, its data development strategies, and its research agenda.  Dr. Zawistowich previously served as the acting deputy director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and was instrumental in standing up this organization to implement the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Dr. Zawistowich, who was a senior policy advisor with the firm from 2004 to 2010, returns to one of the leading health care policy and advocacy practice groups in the United States.  Her return to Patton Boggs is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to expand the firm's strategic strength in Medicaid, Medicare, and health care reform.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Lu back to Patton Boggs," said Senator John B. Breaux, Patton Boggs senior counsel and a leader on health care issues. "She is highly regarded throughout federal agencies, Congress and health care policy circles for her knowledge of Medicaid and Medicare and her innovative, creative solutions to public policy challenges. She is a true asset to our firm."

As a principal in the firm's health care practice, Dr. Zawistowich works with clients to develop legislative, regulatory and administrative solutions to issues involving Medicaid and Medicare. She has particular experience developing innovative strategic solutions for issues involving managed care, programs for dual eligibles, drug benefits and pricing, provider payments, coverage, and coding.

"Patton Boggs has an extraordinary health care team, and I am delighted to rejoin my colleagues," noted Dr. Zawistowich.  "It is truly an exciting time to be working on the front lines of health care policy-making.  I look forward to working with clients to address the challenges and opportunities in Medicaid, Medicare, and health care reform."

Dr. Zawistowich has extensive public-sector experience working with Congress, relevant federal agencies, states and key stakeholders. She also has broad-based private-sector experience, and has worked with beneficiary advocacy groups, providers, health plans, and manufacturers of drugs, biologics and devices.  She holds a Sc.D. degree in health policy and management from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

About Patton Boggs LLP

Patton Boggs is a leader in public policy, litigation and business law, and is well known for deep bipartisan roots in the political arena. The firm's core practice areas are government relations and lobbying, administrative and regulatory, commercial and transactional, litigation and dispute resolution, intellectual property and international law.

From offices in Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Denver and Anchorage, and internationally in Doha, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, more than 550 lawyers and professionals provide comprehensive, practical and cost-effective legal counsel to clients around the globe. For more information about the firm or its attorneys, visit www.pattonboggs.com.

SOURCE Patton Boggs LLP