MGMA Government Affairs Staff

Robert Bennett
Government Affairs Representative
Physician Payment and Quality Issues

By meeting with medical specialty societies, as well as federal officials and members of Congress, Bennett strives to fix the flawed Medicare Part B physician payment issue, make pay-for-performance initiatives clinically relevant and compatible, and streamline the administrative burdens surrounding the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. 

Prior to MGMA, he worked in Washington, D.C., at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the Physicians' Regulatory Issue Team and eventually became its deputy director. He attends meetings of medical specialty societies, state carrier advisory committees and conferences of insurance company medical directors Bennett maintains strong connections with the clinical community.

Raised in New Orleans, Bennett attended University of Texas in Austin. He began his work with MGMA in March 2007. 

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Amy E. Nordeng, JD
Government Affairs Counsel

Nordeng's duties include representing MGMA before Congress, executive agencies and coalition groups on a variety of issues, including the federal physician self-referral (Stark) law, the federal antikickback statute, imaging and ambulatory surgery centers. She also facilitates MGMA's Imaging Workgroup.

Prior to joining MGMA, Nordeng was an attorney in private practice representing health care providers. She practiced in the San Diego office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, representing physician practices and other providers in contracting and compliance matters. She has also worked with the Washington, D.C., firm of Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, assisting a variety of providers with their reimbursement and regulatory concerns. During that time, she co-authored the MGMA publication "Understanding Compliance: A Program Guide Based on the OIG 2000 Guidance." Before practicing law, Nordeng worked as a legislative assistant for Sen. Kent Conrad from her home state of North Dakota.

Nordeng earned her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Mich., and her bachelor's in politics and women's studies from Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. 

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Robert M. Tennant, MA
Senior Policy Advisor

Tennant focuses on federal legislative and regulatory health information technology issues, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPAA), electronic health records, electronic prescribing and ICD-10. He participates in numerous industry efforts, including:

• Board of Directors of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI)
• WEDI's Strategic National Implementation Process
• Certification Commission for Health Information Technology EHR Expert Panel
• American Health Information Community Consumer Empowerment Workgroup
• National Uniform Claim Committee
• e-Health Initiative's Policy Steering Committee
• Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare CORE initiative
• Healthcare Administrative Simplification Coalition (HASC)

Tennant began his work with MGMA in June 1997.  He received his undergraduate degree from Carleton University and his master's degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Tennant also attended the University of Maryland, College Park for Doctoral studies. Tennant has also received the WEDI Distinguished Service Award and Leadership in Technology award 

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Patrick F. Smith Jr., JD
Senior Vice President

Smith has led the Association's Washington, D.C., advocacy efforts for 10 years. Prior to MGMA, he served as assistant director in the Division of Congressional Affairs for the American Medical Association in its Washington, D.C., office. Before that he was a legislative representative for the American Dental Association. From 1979 to 1992, he held several positions with the National Treasury Employees Union, including assistant general counsel and director of the Legislative and Political Department.

Smith also worked as an attorney with Howrey & Simon in Washington, D.C. He has extensive experience working with members of Congress and their staffs and organizing grassroots lobbying campaigns.

Smith received his law degree from the Delaware School of Law in Wilmington, and his bachelor's degree from Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.

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