How bipartisan health policy is made
A Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forum.
This conversation pulls back the curtain on what really happens when Democrats and Republicans hammer out health legislation in Washington. Former HHS Assistant Secretary for Legislation Melanie Egorin and former staff director for the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Brian Sutter unpacked how trust, timing, and technical work shape major laws. They traced how ideas move from “policy on the shelf” to statute, even in hyper‑partisan moments. Their discussion painted a clear picture of the roles staff, agencies, and advocates play—and offered practical advice for building a career in bipartisan problem‑solving.
SPEAKERS
Melanie Egorin, Former Assistant Secretary for Legislation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Biden Administration; Professor of Practice in Public Policy, University of Virginia
Brian Sutter, Former Staff Director for Health Subcommittee under Dave Camp (R-MI), U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means; Partner and CEO, Capitol Hill Consulting
MODERATOR
Adrianna McIntyre, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Politics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
