Sara Franko

Sara Franko is a principal with Capitol Counsel LLC.  She provides clients with strategic advice and direct advocacy based upon her two decades of experience working in Congress and the private sector. 

Specializing in health care matters and congressional oversight, Ms. Franko works closely with clients in developing multifaceted strategies to advance their legislative interests and respond to congressional inquiries. Her efforts on behalf of clients have resulted in legislation to improve Medicare reimbursement for outpatient cancer therapies and legislation excluding prompt pay discounts to wholesalers from Medicaid drug reimbursement calculations.

Before joining Capitol Counsel, Ms. Franko was a principal with Strategic Health Solutions in Washington, D.C., with colleagues Denise Henry Morrisey and Mike Hoak.  Previously, Ms. Franko served as Director of Federal Government Affairs for a major pharmaceutical manufacturer.   In that position, she managed the company’s legislative efforts related to Medicare reimbursement, diagnostics, transplantation, obesity and dermatology.  In addition, she directed the company’s political action committee activities.  She also helped spearhead successful efforts to extend Medicare coverage for immunosuppressive therapy.  Ms. Franko also served as legislative advisor at a national law firm’s legislative practice, representing corporate, association, and governmental clients on health care, veterans’ affairs, finance, and oversight.

Ms. Franko’s congressional experience includes service as Washington chief of staff, legislative director, and legislative assistant for Democratic Members of the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees.  She drafted successful legislation pertaining to emergency medical services and consumer products.  During her service to the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, chaired by Representative John Dingell (D-MI), Ms. Franko assisted in the investigation of pharmaceutical counterfeiting and diversion that led to the enactment of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act, as well as inquiries into the accounting profession and foreign trade matters.

Ms. Franko graduated cum laude from Duke University with an A.B. in Political Science and English, and she received her Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University.