Edward Bender Email & Phone Number

Columbia, Sc, Us

Columbia, South Carolina, United States

At AmeriHealth Caritas, we’re passionate about helping people get care, stay well, and build healthy communities. We’re a leader in health care solutions, impacting the lives of millions of people through our national footprint of products, services, and award-winning programs. We operate Medicaid Managed Care plans, pharmacy benefit management, and behavioral health sciences in 13 states and the District of Columbia. I collaborate with executive team members in the development of multi-state policies and strategies for government relations for our stakeholders to use in their conversations with legislators and policy makers. This collaboration includes an eye to ensuring the business needs of the company are reflected in the policy developed. My role is to ensure that the two things we care about are spoken for in state legislative solutions – our beneficiaries who are receiving Medicaid dollars and that we are balancing fiscal responsibility for the money the government provides. Bringing those two issues together creates quality policy. I’m an active member in multiple state and national trade associations and use these opportunities to educate stakeholders on our policy positions. I’m a member of the American Health Insurance Plan (AHIP), Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA), and serve on the Health Innovation Task Force for the National Conference of State Legislators.

South Carolina Hospital Association is a private, not-for-profit organization made up of some 100 member hospitals and health systems and about 900 personal members associated with our institutional members. I led the development and execution of our legal, legislative, and regulatory strategies across the enterprise. This included advising hospital executives on navigating political climates and influence policy through the drafting of legislation, regulations, and position statements. I also oversaw contracts and lead a team of 2 direct reports and 6 lobbyists. I negotiated settlements for the agency, bridged gaps among hospital leadership, supported corporate governance, and delivered legal strategies that set our supporters and organization up for success.

After a year in the Judiciary Committee, I was promoted to the Clerk’s Office where I advised senators and staff on legislative and legal strategies. DI drafted legislation for all senators, communicated with lobbyists on legislative issues, and argued cases where needed.I was proud to have played a key role in the reformation of the state’s child welfare infrastructure by drafting the South Carolina Child Welfare Reform Act.

I joined the Senate in the Judiciary Committee where I drafted and analyzed legislation, conducted subcommittee hearings, and acted as counsel to the Judicial Merit Selection Commission.

Nexsen Pruet is a multi-specialty business law firm headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, with more than 190 attorneys and offices in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh, NC as well as Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, SC.I was an Associate in the Health Care Practice Group and advised hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, long-term care facilities, and specialty providers on certificate of need, licensure, survey and certification matters matters. I performed due diligence and prepared regulatory disclosures for health care transactions, counseled hospitals on fraud abuse laws, and represented licensed professionals before SC’s professional licensing boards.I also acted as Outside General Counsel to 2 of the state’s nonprofit hospitals.

J.D.

B.A., Political Science

Activities and Societies: Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award Winner, Omicron Delta KappaAlgernon Sydney Sullivan Award Recipient

Education record