Julie Barnes

As Deputy Director of the Health Care Policy Program, Julie Barnes heads the program’s Health Care Reform Communication Project, the purpose of which is to educate industry stakeholders and policymakers about the issues in the health care reform debate, facilitate discussions about those issues among the key players, and mediate those discussions to identify areas of agreement. Ms. Barnes oversees the project’s research and educational efforts, coordinates communications about the health care reform debate, and participates in the outreach to stakeholders and policymakers.

Prior to joining New America, Ms. Barnes was counsel in the Health Care Practice Group of Crowell & Moring’s Washington, D.C. office, where she focused on health law, advising and counseling managed care organizations, self-funded employers, behavioral health organizations, disease management companies, and health-related trade associations on state and federal regulatory and litigation matters. As a litigator, Ms. Barnes defended health care organizations in court proceedings, administrative hearings, and arbitrations regarding payment and benefit disputes, breach of contract claims, internal grievance procedures, coordination of benefits, subrogation rights, and other legal matters. Her expertise extends to statutes and regulations related to health care and employee benefits, including ERISA, HIPAA portability and privacy, Medicare, Medicaid, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, TRICARE, EMTALA, and various state statutes governing client operations.

Ms. Barnes is a frequent writer and speaker on various issues related to the health care system. Most notably, she is the editor in chief of Managed Care Litigation, a textbook published by the Bureau of National Affairs in 2005, and its supplement, published in 2007. She is a graduate of American University’s Washington College of Law and the University of Iowa, and a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars.