California’s Former Deputy Secretary of Health Information Technology Joins Manatt

Frohlich Brings Health IT Expertise to National Healthcare Team

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, announced that Jonah Frohlich has joined the firm’s San Francisco office as a managing director of Manatt Health Solutions (MHS), the firm’s interdisciplinary policy and business advisory division. Frohlich was previously the deputy secretary of health information technology at the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS).

Frohlich was appointed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in April 2009 to serve as the administration’s top executive and advisor on health information technology and data exchange. During this time, Frohlich was responsible for coordinating the state’s $1.5 billion initiative for the development, application and use of electronic health records and secure information exchange, and for facilitating policy, statutory and regulatory changes needed to advance health information exchange to improve patient care.

“Over the past two years, Jonah has distinguished himself as a national leader in advancing the use of health information to improve healthcare quality and efficiency,” said William Bernstein, chair of the firm’s Healthcare Division. “He will be a great resource to our healthcare clients both in California and nationally. We look forward to working with him.”

Frohlich’s arrival comes on the heels of two recent high-profile additions: Stephanie Kanwit in Washington, D.C., who most recently served as special counsel to America’s Health Insurance Plans; and Deborah Bachrach, the former New York State Medicaid Director and Deputy Commissioner of Health, in the firm’s New York office.

“After the rewarding experience working on behalf of all Californians to improve the quality of and access to healthcare, I chose my next move carefully,” Frohlich said. “Manatt is widely recognized as having one of the strongest healthcare practices in the country. And, the experience I gained leading California’s health IT implementation efforts is a perfect complement to the firm’s industry-leading work. I am delighted to begin this next chapter of my career at Manatt.”

Before joining CHHS, Frohlich worked as a senior program officer at the California HealthCare Foundation, where he managed standards development to support state and national electronic health information exchanges.

A prolific author, Frohlich serves as co-chair to the federal Health IT Policy Committee’s Subcommittee for Information Exchange. He is also an active board member to Cal eConnect, CalHIPSO and the California Telehealth Network.

Frohlich has a degree in economics from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and a master's degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley.

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is one of the nation's leading law firms, with offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Sacramento), New York (New York City and Albany) and Washington, D.C. The firm represents a sophisticated client base – including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies – across a range of practice areas and industry sectors. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.

About Manatt Health Solutions

Manatt Health Solutions is a division of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. Its interdisciplinary team provides strategic and business advice, policy analysis, project implementation, and coalition building and advocacy services to clients in the areas of healthcare access and coverage, healthcare financing and reimbursement and health information technology. For more information, visit www.manatthealthsolutions.com.

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLPLawrence Martinez, (310) 231-5443

Source: Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP