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  • Melinda J. Dutton
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Melinda J. Dutton

Partner

Manatt Health
Contact
  • mdutton@manatt.com
  • Phone: 212.790.4522
  • Download vCard
  • New York
Bar Admissions
  • New York
Education
  • Columbia Law School, J.D., James Kent Scholar, 1992

    Kansas State University, B.A., Political Science, cum laude, 1988

Services
  • Government and Regulatory
Industries
  • Manatt Health

Show Full Bio

  • Profile
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Honors & Awards
  • Memberships
  • Publications
Profile

Profile

With a practice that sits at the intersection of law, policy, strategy and business, Melinda focuses on supporting large-scale transformative change in complex environments. Bringing deep knowledge and experience in publicly financed health care—including Medicaid, CHIP and Affordable Care Act marketplaces; coverage expansion, delivery system transformation; and payment reform—Melinda guides federal and state regulators, local governments, providers, payers, life sciences companies and foundations in navigating the legal, regulatory and market challenges of today’s dynamic health care landscape.

An innovator in the health care industry, Melinda is one of the architects of Manatt Health’s groundbreaking, multidisciplinary professional services model, integrating legal, regulatory and consulting support to meet the evolving needs of a diverse array of health care stakeholders.  She also oversees the Manatt on Health premium content portal, providing exclusive access to Manatt’s thought leadership on the topics most critical to the health care industry.

A frequent author and presenter on emerging trends and policies, she has been vocal on the importance of the social determinants of health (SDOH).  Her cutting-edge work supporting the design and implementation of North Carolina’s “Healthy Opportunities Pilots,” created to help the state better understand and address SDOH, has been cited in “Managed Healthcare Executive.”

In addition, Melinda has served as a guest lecturer for health law and policy courses at colleges and universities, including New York University School of Law, Columbia Law School and New York Medical College. She was practitioner-in-residence at Saint Louis University School of Law.

Prior to joining Manatt, Melinda worked at the Children’s Defense Fund in New York. There, she helped develop and secure legislation expanding publicly funded health insurance programs for children. Her career in legal advocacy started in Brooklyn, where she helped establish a health law practice serving the borough’s low-income population.

Speaking Engagements

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Social Determinants of Health and Promoting Health Equity: New and Emerging Coverage Considerations in Support of Improved Health Outcomes and the Business,” 13th Annual Advanced Forum on Managed Care Disputes and Litigation, American Conference Institute, Chicago, IL, March 31, 2022.

Panelist, “Key Opportunities for States to Advance Social Determinants of Health,” Administration for Community Living 2020 National Summit on Health Care and Social Service Integration, Washington, D.C., March 4, 2020.

Moderator, “Funder/Foundation Panel: What Do Funders Look For?,” Social Determinants of Health Symposium, Modern Healthcare, Detroit, Michigan, December 3, 2019.

Speaker, “New Paradigms, New Partnerships: How Human Services Organizations Can Work with Healthcare Providers and Payers to Address Social Determinants of Health,” WellSky CareForum 2019, Kansas City, Missouri, September 9–11, 2019.

Speaker, “How CBOs Can Address Social Determinants of Health,” WellSky, Virtual, July 17, 2019.

Speaker, “Summary of Medicaid’s Section 1115 Waivers: The Direction From Stewart v. Azar to the Future,” American Health Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Boston, June 25, 2019.

Speaker, “Attacking the Root Causes: Addressing Social Determinants of Health,” Mediware and Kinnser CareForum 2018, San Antonio, TX, September 11, 2018.

Honors & Awards

Honors & Awards

The Best Lawyers in America, 2012 and 2014–2023

Crain’s New York Business, Notable Women in Law, 2020–2022

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2012–2013

Memberships

Memberships

Admitted to practice in New York

Publications

Publications

Co-author, “Working with Community Care Hubs to Address Social Drivers of Health: A Playbook for State Medicaid Agencies,” Partnership to Align Social Care and The SCAN Foundation, November 2022.

Co-author, “Investing in Health: Seven Strategies for States Looking to Buy Health, Not Just Health Care,” The Health Initiative, Blue Shield of California Foundation and The Commonwealth Fund, February 2021.

Co-author, “Investing in Health: A Federal Action Plan,” The Health Initiative, Blue Shield of California Foundation and The Commonwealth Fund, January 2021.

Co-author, “Buying Health, Not Just Health Care: North Carolina’s Pilot Effort,” The Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point Blog, January 27, 2020.

Co-author, “Why Manatt’s Model for Blending Legal, Business Services Works After 15 Years,” Bloomberg Law, October 4, 2019.

Co-author, “Medicaid Briefing Series: Priority Issues for State Policymakers,” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, March 2019.

Co-author, “Manatt on Medicaid: 10 Trends to Watch in 2018,” February 2018.

Co-author. "Planting Seeds in Fertile Ground: Steps Every Policymaker Should Take to Advance Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health," ZERO TO THREE, May 2016.

Co-author, “Manatt on Medicaid: Ten Trends to Watch in 2016, February 2016.

Co-author, “5 Medicaid Trends to Watch in 2014,” LifeHealthPro, March 20, 2014.

Co-author, “Helping Consumers Enroll in Coverage: A State-by-State Analysis of Consumer Assistance Organizations and Funding,” KidsWellCampaign.org, funded by Atlantic Philanthropies

Co-author, "Medicaid Managed Care for Children in Foster Care," Medicaid Institute at the United Hospital Fund, February 2013.

Co-author, “The Role of the Basic Health Program in the Coverage Continuum: Opportunities, Risks, and Considerations for States," The Kaiser Family Foundation, March 2012.

Co-author, "Study of Navigator Program and Consumer Assistance," Commissioned by the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, in conjunction with the Navigator and Enrollment Advisory Committee, November 2011.

Co-author, "Medicaid Supplemental Payments: Where Do They Fit in Payment Reform?" Center for Health Care Strategies, August 2011.

Co-author, "HHS Proposed Rules on Exchange Implementation Requirements," Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Health Reform Assistance Network, August 2011.

Co-author, "Medicaid's Role in the Health Benefits Exchange: A Road Map for States," National Academy for State Health Policy, March 2011

Co-author, “Implementing National Health Reform in California: Opportunities for Improved Access to Care,” California HealthCare Foundation, March 2011.

Co-author, “‘Revisioning’ Medicaid as Part of New York’s Coverage Continuum,” Medicaid Institute at the United Hospital Fund, January 2011.

Co-author, “Implementing Federal Health Care Reform: A Roadmap for New York State,” NYS Health Foundation, August 2010.

Co-author, "Implementing National Health Reform in California: Changes to Public and Private Insurance," California Healthcare Foundation, June 2010.

Co-author, “Streamlining New York’s Medicaid Excess Income Program,” NYS Health Foundation, May 2009.

Co-author, “Automated Renewal: Strategies to Maintain Coverage of Eligible Children in Medicaid and Child Health Plus,” United Hospital Fund, December 2008.

Co-author, “Streamlining Renewal in Medicaid and SCHIP: Strategies from Other States and Lessons for New York,” United Hospital Fund, May 2008.

Co-author, “Whose Data is it Anyway? Expanding Consumer Control Over Personal Health Information,” California HealthCare Foundation Issue Brief, February 2008, available here.

Co-author, “Supporting Health-Center IT Investments Through Medicare and Medicaid,” Health Affairs Blog, December 5, 2007, available here.

Co-author, “Filling the Gaps: Medicaid, EPIC and ADAP and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit in New York,” United Hospital Fund, December 2006.

Co-author, “Citizen Documentation Requirements in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005: Lessons from New York,” Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, June 2006.

Co-author, “Health Information Exchange Projects: What Hospitals and Health Systems Need to Know,” American Hospital Association, April 2006.

Co-author, "Strategic Approaches to Medicaid, Winning Legal Strategies in Health Care: Leading Lawyers on Industry Regulations & Creating Legal Game Plans," Aspatore Books, September 2005.

Co-author, "Bring Our Children Home: Improving Access To Home Nursing Services For Medically Fragile Children," Coalition For Medically Fragile Children, March 2005.

Co-author, “Costs of Enrolling Children in Medicaid and SCHIP,” Health Affairs Vol. 23, No. 1, January–February 2004.

Co-author, “New York State Facilitated Enrollment Training Manual: Growing Up Healthy,” New York State Department of Health with the Children’s Defense Fund, the Health Plan Association and Statewide Youth Advocacy, 2000.

Melinda in the News

  • 08.18.22

    86 Manatt Attorneys Named to 2023 Best Lawyers Guide

    Eighty-six Manatt attorneys have been named to the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the nation’s leading lawyers each ...

  • 12.20.21

    Dutton and Topper Named Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York ...

    Manatt Health Partner Melinda Dutton and Litigation and New York office Partner Prana Topper were recognized on Crain’s New York Business ...

  • 08.19.21

    77 Manatt Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers 2022 Guide

    Seventy-seven Manatt attorneys have been named to the 2022 edition of Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the nation’s leading lawyers ...

  • 12.21.20

    Topper and Dutton Named Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York ...

    Litigation partner and New York office partner Prana Topper and Manatt Health partner Melinda Dutton were recognized ...

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Melinda's Articles

  • 11.17.22

    Working with Community Care Hubs to Address Social Drivers of Health

    Research shows that personal behaviors, physical environments and socioeconomic factors—commonly referred to as the social drivers of health ...



  • 03.06.19

    Medicaid Briefing Series: Priority Issues for State Policymakers

    Medicaid is woven into the fabric of states’ healthcare systems and economies. Covering one in five Americans, the Medicaid program is the ...



  • 10.11.18

    Public Charge Proposed Rule: Potentially Chilled Population Data ...

    Jump Directly to Data Dashboard August 14, 2019 Update: On August 14, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security issued a final version of ...



  • 02.07.18

    Manatt on Medicaid: 10 Trends to Watch in 2018

    Medicaid has entered a period of volatile change unprecedented in its 51-year history. With 74 million members nationwide, Medicaid provides health ...



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Melinda's Newsletters

  • 12.19.22

    Working With Community Care Hubs to Address Social Drivers of Health

    Health and well-being require far more than medical care.

  • 07.21.22

    EMTALA v. State Abortion Laws: Navigating the Legal Uncertainties of ...

    In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued guidance to health ...

  • 07.18.22

    In Pursuit of Whole-Person Health: An Update on DOH Initiatives in ...

    In October 2020, Manatt Health published “In Pursuit of Whole-Person Health: A Review of Social Determinants of Health (DOH) Initiatives in ...

  • 07.11.22

    Biden Administration Takes Action Following Supreme Court Decision ...

    In the two weeks following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Biden Administration has ...

Show More


Melinda's Events and Webinars

  • 11.18.22

    Integrating Community Care Hubs into Efforts to Address SDOH: A ...

    In a new webinar based on their soon-to-be-released resource, Integrating Community Care Hubs into Efforts to Address Social Drivers of Health: A ...



  • 06.08.22

    Drivers of Health: New Approaches for Financing, Partnering and ...

    Drivers of Health (DOH)—the conditions under which people live, learn, work, play and age—are proven to have a greater impact on health ...



  • 05.12.21

    Addressing Social Determinants to Improve Health

    Join Manatt Health and a Panel of Innovators for a Compelling Look at How Integrating SDOH Can Improve Health Outcomes and Advance Health Equity. ...



  • 11.17.20

    Post-Election: How Will the 2020 Election Results Impact Healthcare?

    Healthcare continues to be one of the key factors driving voters’ decisions in the upcoming elections. With the death of Supreme Court Justice ...



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