Whitney Magee Phelps

Whitney Phelps represents healthcare clients in corporate, transactional, and regulatory matters. She has extensive experience in health care benefits, managed care and value-based contracting. Prior to joining Nixon Peabody, Whitney also served as Director of Managed Care and Associate Counsel at the Healthcare Association of New York State.

I am a healthcare strategist. I provide practical and solution-oriented options for healthcare stakeholders of all kinds on a broad range of complex healthcare transactions, with a focus on navigating the state and federal regulatory landscapes. My practice spans across multiple sectors of the industry, including physician group practices, intermediaries and risk bearing organizations, health systems, home care agencies, management services organizations (MSOs), and private equity firms. I also assist self-insured and multi-employer plans with RFPs related to various health and pharmacy benefits.

I assist clients with hospital and physician alignment strategies, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic partnerships. My experience includes advising on a broad range of complex healthcare transactions and regulatory matters relating to home care, behavioral health, risk contracting, and physician services. I also negotiate healthcare benefit contracts with third-party administrators and pharmacy benefit managers for sponsors of self-funded employers and Taft-Hartley plans. Many clients turn to me for counsel with respect to implementing and papering strategic initiatives.

I have a deep understanding of the evolving health insurance, managed care, and value-based care landscapes, including network development, clinical integration, delivery and reimbursement models, and direct contracting arrangements with employers. My experience encompasses the full spectrum of value-based care arrangements for all product lines (e.g. Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and commercial), including Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), bundled payments, and pay-for-performance contracts. I have a proven track record in negotiating and drafting such arrangements to align with regulatory requirements, market standards, and meet the goals and objectives of my clients.

I have extensive experience representing healthcare entities before the New York State Executive Branch, including with respect to shaping healthcare policy and Medicaid redesign, as well as laws and regulations impacting regulated healthcare entities in New York. Local and out-of-state clients involved in healthcare looking to do business in New York and other highly regulated states turn to me for guidance on how best to position their businesses in light of state regulatory requirements and approvals.