Mark Newsom provides policy analysis and strategic advice to stakeholders across the healthcare continuum, with a focus on government health programs.
Before joining Avalere, Mark recently served as deputy director of the Medicare Drug Benefit and C&D Data Group (MDBG) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). MDBG drives Medicare Part D benefit policy and formulary reviews, the Stars quality program for both Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D and the Medication Therapy Management program. Previously, Mark led the Division of Payment Reconciliation in the Medicare Plan Payment Group focusing on implementation of the invoicing for the coverage gap discount program and collection of Part D prescription drug event data and direct and indirect remuneration reports.
Mark has also served as an analyst and advisor both at CMS and the Congressional Research Service focusing on key plan policy issues including risk adjustment, prior authorization and coverage of physician administered (Part B) drugs. In industry, he served as vice president of public policy at Humana, leading development and implementation of federal policy strategy, serving as a co-executive sponsor of Humana’s real world evidence research and working on the Kindred at Home acquisition. Mark also served as director and executive advisor of public policy at CVS Health where he focused on Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace policy impacting the pharmacy benefit manager and prescription drug plan businesses. He has provided policy due diligence analysis for the Coram and Omnicare acquisitions and has served as a director of Medicare compliance at Coventry.
Mark holds an MS in health policy and administration from the University of Illinois and completed the business of healthcare graduate program at the Carey Business School of Johns Hopkins University.