Denise Hanna

Denise E. Hanna, Co-Chair of the Firm’s Health Care group and Managing Partner of the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office, has been involved in health care legal and public policy matters for more than 20 years. Denise concentrates her practice on representing health insurance companies and managed care organizations.

Denise’s legal experience includes lead roles in mergers and acquisitions, corporate and entity formation, managed care contracting, joint ventures and commercial contracting. Denise also has represented health care providers, pharmacy benefit management (PBMs) companies, third party administrators, health and wellness companies, trade associations, FQHCs and other health care organizations in a range of corporate and transactional matters and in regulatory and administrative proceedings.

Denise has closely tracked the enactment of federal health reform and continues to advise clients on implementation issues, compliance obligations and strategic opportunities under the Affordable Care Act and related state reforms.

Among other matters, Denise has consulted with and advised a variety of health care organizations on health insurance market reforms, health insurance exchanges, medical loss ratio (MLR), review standards for unreasonable rate increases, accountable care organizations (ACOs), provider alignment strategies and medical homes and the Medicare Advantage star rating bonus program.

Denise is a frequent speaker and writer on health reform topics.  As a member of the American Bar Association’s Health Law Section, Denise serves as Co-Chair of the 2014 Washington Health Law Summit, Vice Chair of the Programs Committee and Vice Chair of the Managed Care & Insurance interest group. Denise is a member of the Firm’s Board of Directors and the former Chair of the Firm’s Diversity Committee.

Representative Experience :

• Lead counsel in representing international health insurance company in its purchase of a majority interest in a business concern, with an enterprise value of $100 million, which furnishes health benefit plan administration and provider network access to employers and other third parties on a regional basis and in the development of the post-closing joint venture agreement.
• Special health insurance regulatory counsel to private equity firm in its acquisition of holding company for PBMs, pharmacy discount programs, pharmacies, national Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, TPAs, and various other regulated entities in $900 million acquisition.
• Lead counsel in representing national health insurance company in the $650 million acquisition of a Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care organization, with principal operations in California and additional operations in several other states.
• Lead counsel in assisting California-based business develop operating models and payor contracts for the management and coordination of care for patients with multiple chronic conditions in various states, in a manner consistent with applicable corporate practice of medicine and insurance laws.
• Lead counsel in representing California Knox-Keene health plan in the negotiation of its contracts with various private health insurance exchanges.

Professional History :

• Partner, Locke Lord LLP
• Member, Locke Lord Board of Directors

Education :

• J.D., Stanford Law School, 1986
• B.A., Behavioral Sciences, with honors, University of Chicago, 1983

Admissions : California; District of Columbia