Senior Medicare Health Policy Analyst Joins the Health Strategies Consultancy

4/9/2003

From: Sarah Gegenheimer of the Glover Park Group for Health Strategies Consultancy LLC, 202-337-0808

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Health Strategies Consultancy announced today that it has strengthened its research and policy services with the addition of senior analyst Perry Bridger, currently at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). He will begin his duties effective May 12.

"Accomplished in regulatory affairs, government relations and health policy analysis, Perry has been instrumental in the development and implementation of Medicare coverage decisions," said Dan Mendelson, Managing Director and Founder of The Health Strategies Consultancy. "We are pleased that he will bring this wealth of experience to our clients."

Bridger serves as senior analyst in the Coverage and Analysis Group of the CMS. His primary area of responsibility is the evaluation of cardiac, neurologic and orthopedic devices for Medicare coverage. Bridger serves as Medicare expert for all aspects of federal coverage policy related to these areas, and is directly responsible for leading review teams and developing, implementing, and evaluating national coverage policies. Bridger also has oversight of the CMS review teams responsible for working with the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee, a federal advisory committee that gives advice to CMS on coverage related issues.

"Perry has been a leader at CMS, initiating and managing numerous interagency workgroups and working extensively with medical professional societies, device manufacturers and research institutions to improve health care policy development," said Sean Tunis, Acting Chief Clinical Officer at CMS. "We will miss his exceptional understanding of the health policy context, and wish him well in this new endeavor."

Prior to joining CMS, Bridger was a senior lecturer on the faculty of the Northeastern University Institute for Emergency Medical Services, and a senior paramedic and paramedic supervisor in Massachusetts. He holds an undergraduate degree in history from Brandeis University, and a Masters in Health Policy and Management from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Health Strategies is a Washington-based health policy think tank and strategic consulting firm that focuses on the commercialization of new medical technology. Our diverse client base includes Fortune 500 healthcare technology companies, Federal Government agencies and major medical foundations. Our team includes health care specialists with unparalleled expertise in pharmaceutical and medical device policy, with collective experience spanning the White House, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. Congress. Additional information about Health Strategies is available on our website at http://www.healthstrategies.net.