Caleb Gilchrist

Dynamic researcher and legislative professional with strong leadership, critical problem solving, and organizational management skills with a proven record of building relationships and managing legislative initiatives from concept to implementation relating to all areas of healthcare, academic health centers, public hospitals, Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH), community health centers, organ procurement organizations (OPOs), and appropriations. With extensive engagement across different branches of federal and state governments, I have collaborated with Members of Congress and staff, the White House, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and National Governors Association. Proven ability to motivate and work effectively with a diverse workforce. Self-directed and resourceful Chief of Staff with 20 years of experience successfully organizing, managing and delivering cross-functional projects. Influences and guides at executive-level while structuring and executing complex analyses to support strategy in fast-paced and evolving environment. Excellent influencer and relationship builder with growth mindset and strong communications skills to summarize and present healthcare topics effectively to wide audience.

• Demonstrate leadership and management of staff and legislative activities within the Congressional office.
• Advise Congressman Davis on healthcare issues involving Medicare, Medicaid, FQHC community and teaching health centers, 340B drug program, grants, organ transplantation with respect to developing policy initiatives for improving access to health care services for the uninsured and medically vulnerable people.
• Engage and advise the Congressional 7th district of Illinois’ 23 hospitals, FQHCs, outpatient facilities, and stakeholders on the operations, rulemaking, programs, and grants procedures by HHS and agencies: HRSA, CDC, CMS CDC, and FDA.
• Manage and coordinate the Congressional bipartisan Community Health Centers Caucus, Second Chance Reentry Caucus, Sickle Cell Disease Caucus, and Sugar Caucus.
• In charge of Rep. Davis Congressional appropriation strategies, programmatic requests, earmarks, and submissions to the Subcommittee of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for funding programs to the 7th Congressional district and the nation.
• Created language in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) with respect to Community First Choice Option and Home Visitation Programs to prevent diseases and improve health outcomes for families. This legislation was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.
• Composed a bipartisan amendment, Reps. Danny K. Davis, Michael C. Burgess, and G. K. Butterfield, to H.R. 2740, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Legislative Branch, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 2020. This amendment would increase the funding to the Birth Defects, Development Disabilities, Disabilities and Health, Public Health Approach to Blood Disorders account by $2 million. Currently, under this account there was $0 allocated for Public Health Approach to Blood Disorders Program for sickle cell disease. Increasing funding would support the CDC’s sickle cell disease surveillance program to better identify affected individuals, to understand their health outcomes, and to evaluate strategies to prevent complications and risk factors that affect individuals living with this devastating disease. The amendment passed in the House and started the establishment of and line-item category for sickle cell disease.
• Organized and participated in a meeting with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Gift of Hope, Rush University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University Systems of Health to expand more access of organs for patients according to CMS allocation metrics: protocol, and assessment for transplantation.
• Coordinated a meeting for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with CMS on guidance for research proposals and to influence the adoption of malnutrition measures for improving outcomes and quality of life for seniors and the disadvantaged (82 FR 38380).
• Worked jointly with the Antimicrobials Working Group (AWG), Senate Committee on Finance Staff, House Leadership, Department of HHS and Infectious Diseases Society of America on Medicare reimbursement reform regarding patient access to antimicrobials to address serious and life-threatening infections. I presented a paper before the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) to support the DISARM Act H.R. 4127. As a result, PACCARB recommended to the Secretary Xavier Becerra of HHS to support and seek passage of this legislative initiative by Congress.
• Developed legislation in the 115th Congress in collaboration with Senators Tim Scott and Cory Booker, Reps. Danny K. Davis, Michael C. Burgess, and G.K. Butterfield to support a bipartisan and bicameral bill S. 2465 enacted, the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2018, for reauthorization to continue improving the treatment and development of a cure for sickle cell disease.
• Collaborated in the writing of H.R. 6216, the Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act, which is a bipartisan bill that would address gaps in life-saving care for adults living with Sickle Cell Disease enrolled in Medicaid. Worked with the Senate to introduce a companion bill, which included the same language. The Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act would direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to create a demonstration program in up to 10 states to improve access to comprehensive, high-quality, outpatient care for individuals enrolled in Medicaid with sickle cell disease. Priority would go to states participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) data collection program, and states with high prevalence of sickle cell disease. Participating states would receive full federal reimbursement for services and care coordination provided during the demonstration period.
• Developed legislation for the Second Chance Act and coordinated a working policy group comprising of 100+ nonprofit organizations to support passage of this bill (H.R. 1593) that reauthorizes the grant program for reentry of offenders back into normal community life. This legislation was signed into law (Public Law 110-99) by President George W. Bush.
• Constructed an amendment to the Ronald W. Reagan the National Defense Authorization Act of 2004 to better balance how federal agencies meet certain small business competitiveness demonstration program set aside goals. It was signed into law (Public Law 108-375) by President George W. Bush.