AdvaMed lobbyist to succeed Merritt, who is stepping down after 15 years at helm

Scott

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association has named JC Scott the group's next CEO, starting Oct. 15. He will succeed Mark Merritt, who is stepping down after leading the $21 million-revenue association since 2003.

Scott currently is chief advocacy officer and head of external affairs for the Advanced Medical Technology Association. Before joining AdvaMed in 2011, he was senior vice president of federal relations of the American Council of Life Insurers and deputy director of policy for the House Republican Conference.

"JC is an exceptional choice with a tremendous record of accomplishments, both in the regulatory sphere as well as legislatively," PCMA Board Chairman Tim Wentworth said in a statement. "He has the policy depth and acumen in federal and state advocacy that will serve our association and industry well, and set us on new paths of success moving forward."

PCMA represents pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, the third parties that administer prescription drug plans for a variety of private insurers and government programs. As a result, the group often seeks to shape the debate on key health care policy discussions, from drug pricing to the handling of the opioid crisis.

PCMA and the Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America have been trading blame over who is responsible for high drug prices. PhRMA's CEO, Steve Ubl, was CEO of AdvaMed from 2005 to 2015.

Scott has a law degree from Georgetown University.