Professional Experience
Ms. Pfister is a partner in the healthcare practice group of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. She specializes in advising health care providers and non-profit organizations on legislative, regulatory and transactional matters. Her clients include hospitals, community health centers, mental health facilities, substance abuse providers, nursing homes, home care agencies, health information exchange organizations and social service agencies. She has particular expertise in representing federally qualified health centers and other organizations that serve medically underserved communities.
Ms. Pfister has extensive experience in representing clients before state and federal regulatory agencies, including the New York State Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and in helping clients navigate the legal and political challenges of Medicare, Medicaid and other public health insurance programs. Her areas of expertise include licensure, reimbursement, fraud and abuse, and other regulatory issues. She also has a strong transactional background, and frequently advises clients on acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance, corporate finance and related matters. Ms. Pfister has been heavily involved in advising clients on the federal 340B prescription drug discount program.
Finally, Ms. Pfister is involved in a range of projects involving use of health information technology to facilitate the secure and timely exchange of health information to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. She represents several of New York s regional health information organizations (RHIOs), and is also working with the New York eHealth Collaborative on the effort to develop a nationwide health information network that will provide an interoperable, standards-based architecture for the secure exchange of healthcare information across the country. She is also working on several projects to increase participation of community health centers and other safety net providers in health information technology initiatives.
Ms. Pfister received her B.A. from Cornell University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the Boston University School of Law, where she was an Edward J. Hennessey Scholar and a G. Joseph Tauro Distinguished Scholar, and served as Articles Editor on the Law Review. Prior to joining Manatt, Ms. Pfister was an attorney in the mergers and acquisitions practice at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP.
Education
Boston University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 1996
Articles Editor, Boston University Law Review.
Cornell University, B.A., 1989
Memberships & Activities
Admitted to practice in New York
Member, American Health Lawyers Association
Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Member, Committee on Federal Legislation, Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Publications
Co-Author, "Stage 1 Meaningful Use Requirements Finalized Under HITECH EHR Incentive Program," BNA, Inc., July 2010.
Co-Author, "HITECH Revisited," California Healthcare Foundation, Colorado Health Foundation, and United Hospital Fund, June 2010.
Co-Author, "HITECH's State Health Information Exchange and Health IT Extension Programs: Providing Infrastructure and Support for Meaningful Use of EHRs," BNA, Inc., November 2009.
Co-author with Deborah Bachrach, Access to Mental Health: The State s Role in Licensure and Reimbursement of Outpatient Mental Health Services in New York, New York State Bar Association Health Law Section Annual Meeting, 2003.
Speaking Engagements
Presentation to Child Health Forum on the New York State Budget and the Health Care Reform Act (2003).
