Edo Banach, former president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), has stepped into a new role as partner at Manatt Health, a division of the law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP.
Prior to joining the Los Angeles-based law practice, Banach was at the helm at NHPCO since 2017. He stepped down from the role in August last year, afterwards becoming strategic advisor of Edo Solutions LLC until recently.
Banach will work from Manatt’s Washington D.C.-based location, where he’ll leverage his roughly 20 years of experience in home-based, hospice and palliative care to help providers in these industries traverse legal landscapes.
“Having served as a consumer advocate, in-house counsel for a provider, government leader and association leader, I have a 360-degree insight into the practice and business of health care — and the ways the systems can be improved and navigated,” Banach said. “I’m a health lawyer, consultant and advocate in one — using the Swiss Army knife approach to solving any problems that clients navigate.”
Banach has worked in the post-acute and long-term services sector, providing strategic legal, regulatory and policy leadership. Before joining NHPCO, he was a partner at health care firm Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP, and as general counsel at the Medicare Rights Center. He also previously served as deputy director and senior leader at the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
During his legal career, he has advised on a variety of federal and state regulatory issues including areas in fraud and abuse, administrative appeals processes, licensures and patient privacy and consent.
Hospice and palliative care are still in the mix for Banach.
While serving as partner at Manatt Health, he will continue to serve on the board of The Connecticut Hospice, the nation’s first to be established in 1974. He will also mentor interdisciplinary health professionals through Sojourns Scholars, a leadership program through the Cambia Health Foundation.
“Hospice and palliative care are in my heart, and Manatt Health has a talented group of other professionals with deep experience in this space as well,” Banach told Hospice News. “I look forward to working alongside them and others at the firm to improve access to care for our most vulnerable populations. I expect to continue to work with the hospice and palliative care community both personally and professionally for the rest of my life.”
A main draw for Banach was Manatt Health’s “symbiotic system,” which consists of an integrated legal and consulting model, he said. This allows health care clients to receive collaborative insight from team members from a wealth of interdisciplinary backgrounds in health care, such as former government officials, experienced lawyers and skilled consultants, Banach explained.
Among the goals is to help health care providers navigate the legal nuances of operations and improve care delivery, he stated.
“It takes a village, and I’m happy to have joined this one,” Banach said.
Banach’s skills and expertise came at a much-needed time of transition in the hospice and palliative care community, particularly when it comes to improving equitable access, according to Donna Wilson, Manatt CEO and managing partner.
“Innovation is a critical part of enhancing the health care delivery system, something Edo has brought to bear through his in-depth knowledge of health care law and policy across the industry,” Wilson said in an announcement. “With innovation also at the forefront of everything we do at Manatt, Edo is a natural fit to our team as they continue to introduce and help clients navigate more efficient and improved coordination of care for all patients.”
Companies featured in this article:
Cambia Health Foundation, Edo Solutions LLC, Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP, Manatt Health, Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP, Sojourns Scholars, The Connecticut Hospice
