Helen R Pfister

Practice Areas

With more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry, Helen Pfister is a partner at Manatt Health and a leader of Manatt’s life sciences practice. She provides counsel on regulatory, policy, transactional and strategic matters to a broad range of life sciences companies, including top-10 pharmaceutical manufacturers as well as hospitals, mental health facilities, home care agencies, health information exchanges and other health care industry stakeholders.

A recognized authority on the federal 340B prescription drug program, Helen is a go-to resource for life sciences companies seeking guidance on the impact of federal and state regulations from both legal and strategic business perspectives. With her extensive experience in health care transactions, Helen frequently counsels clients on acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance and related matters. Her other key areas of focus include privacy, reimbursement and licensure.

Helen also does a significant amount of work for health centers in medically underserved communities. She helps clients navigate the legal and political challenges of Medicare and Medicaid and advises on payment and delivery system reform initiatives. In addition, she provides counsel on issues impacting health information exchange and supports projects to increase provider participation in health IT initiatives.

Professional Memberships

Admitted to practice in New York

Member, American Health Lawyers Association

Publications

Quoted, “Pharma Chips Away at Discount Drugs While Battling HHS in Court,” Bloomberg Law, January 25, 2022.

Quoted, “Safety-net hospitals hit hard by pandemic could lose access to low-cost drugs,” Modern Healthcare, July 12, 2021.

Quoted, “The state of the 340B program: What the Supreme Court’s Affordable Care Act ruling meant, and which issues still loom,” Healthcare Financial Management Association, June 24, 2021.

Quoted, “HHS Can’t Ditch Drug Suits by Disavowing Letter, Attorneys Say,” Bloomberg Law, June 24, 2021.

Author, “340B Action Heats Up: New Developments From the Courts, Administration and Drug Makers,” Community Oncology Alliance, September 2020.

Co-author, “Massive Data Breach Underscores Importance of Business Associate Security,” Pratt’s Privacy and Cybersecurity Report, September 2019.

Co-author, “Next-Generation Funds Flow Models: Enhancing Academic Health System Alignment,” Association of American Medical Colleges, October 2018.

Co-author, “Sharing Behavioral Health Information Amid the Opioid Crisis,” eHealth Initiative and Foundation, June 2018.

Co-author, "Proposed Changes to Medicare Part B Drug Reimbursement," Manatt on Health, August 8, 2017.

Co-author, "HIPAA and Emerging Technologies," Manatt on Health, June 22, 2017.