Melissa Bianchi
Melissa Bianchi is a partner at Hogan Lovells US LLP in Washington, D.C. Melissa's law practice focuses on health care regulatory issues, with an emphasis on medical privacy and health information technology. Melissa advises medical device companies, health care providers, health plans, pharmaceutical companies and related trade associations on a wide range of compliance and policy issues under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as on policy developments and funding opportunities in the area of health information technology.
Melissa assists clients in conducting legal reviews to assess compliance with federal and state health privacy laws, including HIPAA privacy and security issues and electronic data management practices and data breach management. Melissa also counsels health information technology companies, health plans and hospitals on HITECH policy developments related to meaningful use payment incentives and associated technology certification standards, as well as the development of health information exchanges and the Nationwide Health Information Network. Melissa is a frequent speaker on HIPAA and HITECH issues at industry conferences and seminars.
Melissa was named as an Outstanding Young Healthcare Lawyer by Nightingale's Health News in 2009. She received the inaugural Klepper Award for Volunteer Excellence from the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia in 2008 for her work in establishing a clinic to assist Medicare beneficiaries obtain prescription drug benefits. During law school, Melissa worked in the general counsel's office at Stanford University and in the risk management division at the Stanford University Hospital. Prior to law school, Melissa was involved in political campaign and advocacy work as well as worked for a consulting firm that conducted studies for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Melissa receive her undergraduate degree from Harvard College.