Melissa Andel, MPP, is the principal of CommonHealth Solutions. Melissa has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical manufacturer and health care payer industries.
Before starting CommonHealth Solutions, Melissa served as Vice President of Health Policy for Applied Policy, a health policy consulting firm located in Alexandria, Virginia. As Vice President, Melissa directed and managed the firm’s pharmaceutical manufacturer portfolio of clients. She served as the point-of-contact between the firm and clients, helping solve market access problems for existing products, and working with brand teams prior to the launch of new products to identify opportunities and potential challenges. She has worked with clients to secure optimal coding and reimbursement for new products, and has developed go-to-market strategies with a focus on helping clients understand the environment in which their product was launching and the payment and coverage policies impacting patients and providers. Melissa also advised clients on changes in federal and state health care policy, particularly relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, and how those changes may impact clients and the patients they serve.
Melissa has extensive experience in Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and commercial pharmacy benefits. Prior to joining Applied Policy, she spent 10 years in various roles at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), in Alexandria, Virginia. Her last role at AMCP was as Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs. In this position, she was responsible for monitoring and analyzing federal and state legislation and its potential impact on AMCP and its membership. Melissa was also responsible for working directly with AMCP leadership to develop and articulate Academy policy on a wide range of issues impacting prescription drugs and the practice of pharmacy.
In 2020, Melissa was appointed as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, where she is responsible for developing and teaching a course on prescription drug policy for graduate students in the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.
Melissa has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Public Relations from the University of Georgia and earned a degree of Master of Public Policy with a concentration in Global Health and Medical Policy from George Mason University.
