Brett R Friedman

Practice Areas

Brett Friedman is a health care partner who advises clients at the forefront of the health care industry in areas such as government insurance programs, digital health, accountable care and value-based payments, and regulatory compliance. A former leader of one of the largest Medicaid programs in the country, Brett provides valuable insight and solutions to health care companies and investors navigating complex transactional, regulatory, enforcement and policy matters. Clients rely on Brett not only for his unique experience running a large governmental insurance program, but also his strategic insights into health care investments and deep regulatory knowledge.

Over the course of his career, Brett has held top positions at the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), including Director of Strategic Initiatives and Special Medicaid Counsel, and most recently, Deputy Commissioner and State Medicaid Director. While at NYSDOH, Brett oversaw all aspects of New York State’s expansive Medicaid program, which provides health coverage to more than 7.4 million New Yorkers and has an annual operating budget of over $90 billion. He led many innovative efforts during his tenure, including in the areas of Medicaid 1115 research and demonstration waiver programs, value-based care programs, managed care reform, social care integration strategies, and support for investor-backed companies looking to innovate in the governmental payer space.

Brett also has extensive private sector experience. He was a partner at Ropes & Gray before joining NYSDOH, as well as co-head of the firm’s digital health initiative. At the firm, Brett advises payers and providers on the transition to accountable care and value-based payment, and assists investors with a range of transactional needs. Additionally, he counsels clients facing government investigations, audits and self-disclosures, as well as violations of health care fraud and abuse laws.

Brett values pro bono service and has handled many healthcare pro bono matters, including spearheading the legal analysis that was instrumental to the establishment of the first overdose prevention centers in the United States and developing a first-in-the-nation, outcomes-based contract for Medicaid funding of children’s legal advocacy services that remediate a client’s underlying health care issues.