Karen Y. Lam is Senior Counsel (Executive Director level) at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan where she provides legal & regulatory counsel to its Medicare Advantage- & Cost-related operations. At Kaiser, Karen’s portfolio includes advising on a wide spectrum of strategic & operational issues (e.g., benefits, STARs, provider relationships/networks/data, intercompany entities, customer arrangements, regulator inquiries/filings). She also provides analysis & advice regarding the operational impact of legislative/regulatory/policy developments along with collaborating closely with Compliance & Government Relations to advance company initiatives internally & externally. Karen was selected for the 2023 Spring Cohort of Kaiser’s Women in Leadership Program, & co-leads the Legal Department’s mentorship program. In 2022 & 2023, she co-chaired ACI’s Legal, Regulatory & Compliance Summit on Medicare Advantage.Prior to joining Kaiser, Karen was Senior Counsel (Senior Director level) at Aetna where she was the primary attorney providing legal & regulatory counsel to its Medicare Part D operations. At Aetna, Karen handled the full range of issues associated with Aetna’s Part D-, pharmacy-, & PBM operations (e.g., pharmacy contracting/networks, pricing/reimbursement, benefit design). At this time, she was the attorney on point for a significant line of business re-contracting initiative.Prior to joining Aetna, Karen was an attorney at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips where she provided regulatory & transactional counsel to a wide array of healthcare clients (e.g., plans, PBMs, hospitals/health systems, vendors/suppliers, pharmacies). Her practice focused on compliance with state/federal requirements, particularly as related to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE & commercial insurance. Karen also drafted/negotiated complex multiparty agreements & assisting clients with analyzing the regulatory implications of proposed payor/provider transactions.