PCDC is proud to honor Manatt Health at the upcoming 2025 PCDC Gala on June 2 at the Tribeca Rooftop in NYC. William “Bill” Bernstein, who serves as Chairperson of the Board of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP and as leader of Manatt Health—which is the firm’s health care legal and consulting group—will accept the award on the firm’s behalf. With tireless dedication and visionary leadership, Manatt Health has transformed health care through its legal prowess and strategic consulting.

“Manatt is a multidisciplinary law and consulting firm with a presence in all 50 states,” said Bill. “But we never set out to be a traditional law firm. Manatt Health’s goal has always been to drive change at the policy level.”

Manatt Health brings deep experience and authority to Medicaid policy, both in New York State and around the country, providing research, counsel, and legal action to promote and improve Medicaid. They provide insightful and actionable advice through policy briefs such as those on health-related social needs, how nurses can lead whole-person care, and efforts to promote integrated care delivery for people with complex health needs.

“We’re especially proud of our impact on Medicaid and the work we’ve done with low-income communities and state governments around health-related social needs,” said Bill. “Primary care remains at the heart of good healthcare. Prevention is built on trust—and trust is built in the community, on the front lines. Yet, primary care remains woefully underfunded.”

PCDC’s relationship with Bill Bernstein began well before he joined Manatt. In 1993, Bill was one of several lawyers who advised the David Dinkins administration on the best way to improve access to primary care.  He and his colleagues conceptualized a public-private partnership that resulted in the creation of PCDC as a non-profit organization to be capitalized through funding from the City of New York, a New York State bond, and private funding. Throughout the years since, Bill and Manatt Health have partnered with PCDC on many fronts, including various capital projects, policy work and notably, through the participation of Carol Raphael, a National Advisor at Manatt, on the PCDC Board of Directors since 2014.

PCDC is laser-focused on providing the capital and advocacy that communities need to expand primary care access. Given the uncertainty around primary care funding, “PCDC’s work is so vital,” said Bill. “PCDC’s commitment to the ongoing fight to ensure everyone has access to high-quality, accessible primary care is laudable.”

Despite the challenges ahead, Manatt Health remains optimistic about the future. “We need to take a long-term view—beyond the next four or five years,” Bill noted. “The foundation we build today will shape the future of primary care for generations. Federally Qualified Health Centers are a cornerstone of our healthcare system with broad political support, so there’s real reason for hope. We are very enthusiastic about sharing the PCDC spotlight with Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center to promote their new site in Central Brooklyn.”

Join us in celebrating Manatt Health for their extraordinary contributions and unwavering commitment to building a healthier, more equitable future for all.

Sponsor or attend our 2025 PCDC Gala—and if you can’t attend, show your commitment to the future of primary care by donating today.