Joan L Kutcher

Joan Kutcher has more than 30 years of experience providing strategic advice to stakeholders in a broad range of industries, with a particular expertise in federal and state health care-related programs. Over the years, she has helped states, pharmaceutical companies, government contractors, insurance companies and trade associations successfully navigate the Congress and regulatory agencies. Drawing on decades of experience, Ms. Kutcher successfully advises clients on both proactive legislative campaigns and defensive strategies to advance their legislative and regulatory goals. She played a key role in the development of the Long-Term Care Insurance program for federal employees. Ms. Kutcher is a senior member of Covington’s Public Policy and Government Affairs Practice Group, and has served on the firm’s Retirement Committee for five years. REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS Legislative and strategic advisor to state clients on Medicaid matters. Legislative and strategic advisor to John Hancock Financial Services on a wide range of tax and retirement security matters. Assisted client in its efforts to secure legislation creating a public private partnership encouraging the purchase of long-term care insurance. Legislative and strategic advisor to Unisys Corporation on homeland security, tax, pension and budget matters. Successfully assisted medical device manufacturer in securing Medicare coverage and reimbursement for innovative product. Helped secure Medicare prescription drug coverage of Kos Pharmaceutical’s cholesterol drug. Assisted in securing millions of dollars in additional Medicaid dollars for Puerto Rico in the Affordable Care Act. Helped client successfully implement congressional strategy that led to key changes to HHS proposed rules governing the use of genetic information in certain insurance products. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE Governor of New York, Senior Legislative Counsel (1981-1989) U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Deputy Assistant Director (1978-1981) PRO BONO Serve as Guardian Ad Litem in child custody dispute in Superior Court matter on behalf of the Children’s Law Center. Assisted Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled in securing an amendment to The Captive Primate Safety Act to ensure that the legislation did not constrain the nonprofit organization’s ability to continue to place specially trained capuchin monkeys with the disabled. Advised Girls, Inc., which provides educational programs to girls in high-risk, underserved areas on appropriations strategy to expand its nationally recognized programs. MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS The Raymond Locke Foundation, Inc., Vice President of Board of Directors, organized to provide after-school athletic program in high risk, underserved neighborhood. District of Columbia Bar Association, Health Care Committee PUBLICATIONS AND SPEECHES "PPACA's Impact: The Election, 2013 and Beyond," Law360 (7/20/2012), Co-Author "Supreme Court Rules on the Constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act," Covington Advisory (7/2/2012), Co-Author "Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act: Implications for Employers," Covington E-Alert (6/29/2012), Co-Author