
Samantha concentrates her practice on representing health plans, payors, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in transactional and regulatory matters, with a specialized focus on PBM contract negotiation.
Prior to joining Mintz, Samantha was an associate in the Investment Management Group of a New York–based international law firm, where she worked on corporate transactions, fund formations, and securities compliance matters. She has experience assisting with mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs, and reorganizations, preparing corporate agreements, and advising on compliance issues.
Samantha maintains an active pro bono practice that has included assisting pro bono clients with nonprofit incorporation and advising on asylum and housing matters.
Samantha earned her JD from Columbia University, where she served as a student editor and judge for the Foundation Moot Court and as a staff member of the Columbia Journal of Gender & Law. During law school, Samantha also organized a legal clinic in conjunction with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai’s East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership.
viewpoints
Mintz IRA Update — The Future of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program
February 13, 2025 | Article | By Samantha Hawkins, Matthew Tikhonovsky
Read about recent changes made by CMS to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program following the first round of negotiations, manufacturers’ reactions to CMS’s explanations about maximum fair prices, the drugs targeted for the second round of negotiations, and the implications of the Trump administration for the future of the program.
Mintz IRA Update — Fourth Edition: Q1 2025
February 13, 2025 | Article | By Rachel A. Alexander, Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Lauren Moldawer, Hassan Shaikh, Stephnie John, Madison Castle, Mitchell Clough, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Alexander Hecht, Abdie Santiago
Mintz’s Pharmacy Benefits and PBM Contracting Practice is pleased to present the ‘Fourth Edition: Q1 2025’ of our Mintz IRA Update, a regular publication that delves into developments of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) and their impact on pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders.
PBM Policy and Legislative Update — Winter 2025
February 10, 2025 | Blog | By Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Rachel A. Alexander, Lauren Moldawer, Bridgette Keller, Priyanka Amirneni, Madison Castle, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Alison H. Peters, Pamela Polevoy, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh, Sophia Temis
The PBM Policy and Legislative Update — Winter 2025 edition builds upon prior PBM Policy and Legislative Updates and summarizes activity from October through December (2024) that affects the PBM industry. It highlights (i) federal activities, (ii) state activities, and (iii) other noteworthy events and trends affecting the PBM industry.
PBM Update: Special Edition - FTC Releases Second Interim Staff Report in PBM Inquiry
January 23, 2025 | Alert | By Rachel A. Alexander, Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Joseph Miller, Lauren Moldawer, Bridgette Keller, Samantha Hawkins, Payton Thornton
In this Special Edition of the PBM Policy and Legislative Update, the Mintz Health team partnered with our Antitrust colleagues to analyze the FTC’s Second Report titled Specialty Generic Drugs: A Growing Profit Center for Vertically Integrated Pharmacy Benefit Managers.
PBM Policy and Legislative Update — Fall 2024
November 22, 2024 | Blog | By Rachel A. Alexander, Tara E. Dwyer, Theresa Carnegie, Bridgette Keller, Madison Castle, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Lauren Moldawer, Alison H. Peters, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh, Sophia Temis
Building upon prior issues and summarizing activity from July through September, the Fall 2024 PBM Update highlights federal legislative activity and oversight, state legislative activity and oversight, and other noteworthy events and trends affecting the PBM industry.
PBM Policy and Legislative Update — Summer 2024
July 31, 2024 | Blog | By Theresa Carnegie, Tara E. Dwyer, Rachel A. Alexander, Bridgette Keller, Madison Castle, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Pat Ouellette, Alison H. Peters, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh, Sophia Temis
Mintz IRA Update — Learning From Experience: Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Updates
July 15, 2024 | Blog | By Stephnie John, Samantha Hawkins, Madison Castle
Mintz IRA Update — The Consequences and Costs of Redesigning the Part D Program
July 15, 2024 | Blog | By Tara E. Dwyer, Lauren Moldawer, David Gilboa, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Matthew Tikhonovsky
Read about the 2025 redesign of the Medicare Part D program pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and how those changes impact Medicare Part D plan sponsors, beneficiaries, and manufacturers.
Mintz IRA Update — Third Edition: Q2 2024
July 15, 2024 | Blog | By Rachel A. Alexander, Theresa Carnegie, Madison Castle, Mitchell Clough, Tara E. Dwyer, David Gilboa, Xavier Hardy, Samantha Hawkins, Stephnie John, Bridgette Keller, Lauren Moldawer, Abdie Santiago, Hassan Shaikh
In ‘Third Edition: Q2 2024’ of the Mintz IRA Update, we cover updates to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program being considered by CMS, developments in litigation challenging the program, the consequences and costs of redesigning the Part D program, opposition to the use of march-in rights to lower drug prices, and the growing use of state prescription drug affordability boards.
PBM Update: Special Edition - FTC 6(b) Interim Staff Report and Activity
July 12, 2024 | Alert | By Rachel A. Alexander, Tara E. Dwyer, Theresa Carnegie, Joseph Miller, Bridgette Keller, Samantha Hawkins, Hassan Shaikh, Payton Thornton
On July 9, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Office of Policy Planning released an Interim Staff Report titled Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The Powerful Middlemen Inflating Drug Costs and Squeezing Main Street Pharmacies. The Interim Staff Report reflects the FTC’s work since it began its 6(b) study of PBMs in June 2022. Mintz’s Health and Antitrust teams actively monitor federal and state regulatory and legislative developments in the PBM space, including those from the FTC. In this Special Edition of the PBM Policy and Legislative Update, the Mintz Health team partnered with our Antitrust colleagues to analyze the Interim Staff Report including Commissioner Melissa Holyoak’s dissenting statement. We also highlight upcoming Congressional testimony by CEOs of the three largest PBMs, as well as media reports of a forthcoming FTC action related to PBM insulin rebate practices.
podcasts
Health Law Diagnosed – New Year's Gratitude
February 3, 2025 | Podcast | By Bridgette Keller, Alison H. Peters, Samantha Kingsbury, Theresa Carnegie, Joanne Hawana, Abdie Santiago, Stephnie John, Pamela Polevoy, Karen Lovitch, Jean D. Mancheno, Deborah Daccord, Rachel A. Alexander, Jane Haviland, David Gilboa, Kathryn Edgerton, Hassan Shaikh, Madison Castle, Laurence Freedman, Priyanka Amirneni, Samantha Hawkins, Tara E. Dwyer, Rachel Yount, Sophia Temis, Xavier Hardy
Host Of Counsel Bridgette Keller invites the Mintz Health Law team to reflect on what they’re grateful for as they prepare for the year ahead. Hear from a dynamic group of Members, Of Counsel, and Associates as they share their perspectives on what’s coming up over the horizon.
Recognition & Awards
Lawyers of Color: Hot List (2022)
National Black Lawyers: “Top 40 Under 40” for New York (2022)