Savvy-smart policy analysis and strategy to help clients successfully navigate a challenging health care environment
Health Policy
Analysis
Research and analyze health policy initiatives and proposals, with expertise on a variety of issues. Among them:
- Medicaid and the state’s health care safety net
- Public and private sector health care coverage and financing
- Health care delivery reform
- Women’s, perinatal, and children’s health
- Primary care
- Rural health
- Emergency medical care
Blueprint
Development
Craft effective regulatory or legislative policy proposals and advocacy initiatives, including:
- Tracking health care trends and initiatives that will impact clients and developing proactive regulatory or legislative responses
- Monitoring state and federal regulatory and legislative activities
- Developing background materials, talking points, comment letters, and public testimony
Governmental
Relations
Provide regulatory engagement and advocacy, in close consultation with clients’ leadership and members, including:
- Following, analyzing, and commenting on proposed state and federal policy initiatives, rules, regulations, and legislation
- Collaborating with state regulators to advance client’s policy goals
- Supporting the policy to legislation pipeline to bring clients’ policy goals to fruition
- Providing pinpoint policy expertise during the legislative session
Coalition and Alliance
Building
Organize collaborative, influential partnerships among key regulatory and legislative stakeholders to achieve mutual policy goals
As a young firm with a growing client base, HKD & Associates is building a portfolio that includes the spectrum of organizations striving to promote a more accessible, cost-effective health care delivery system. Among our clients are physician specialty societies, provider associations, managed care organizations, advocacy organizations, and foundations.
For more than 30 years, Helen worked at the Texas Medical Association (TMA). There, she analyzed, researched, and advocated for a variety of issues, including public and private health care coverage, delivery system reform, Medicaid, women’s and children’s health, rural health, and primary care. Most recently, she served as TMA’s associate vice president of governmental affairs.
At TMA, she earned a trusted reputation for her expertise, honed a savvy understanding of Texas’ policy-making process, and built effective coalitions and alliances to advance vital health policy reforms.
Among her proudest achievements, Helen counts collaborating with diverse stakeholders to pass legislation to:
- Establish the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
- Build the state’s women’s health care programs.
- Strengthen Medicaid managed care accountability and oversight.
- Enact Medicaid physician payment increases.
- Create the Rural Community Health System.
- Establish a comprehensive Perinatal Quality Improvement System.
- Implement the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.
- Establish 12-months Medicaid postpartum coverage.
- Pass sensible efforts to improve child health and safety, including newborn hearing screening.
- Fund Texas’ statewide trauma system.
In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives commended Helen for making a “meaningful difference in the lives of countless Texans through her compassionate leadership, collaborative spirit, and commitment to serving those in need.” Moreover, over her career, the Texas Pediatric Society has twice recognized Helen for her work to improve children’s health.
Away from work, she loves spending time with her husband, son, and two dogs as well as swimming at Barton Springs, gardening, and baking.
