Prime Therapeutics appoints senior VP of government programs its COO

Prime Therapeutics selected Scott Fries, its senior vice president of Government Programs, as the company's chief operating officer.

In his dual role, Fries will be in charge of overseeing the pharmacy benefit manager's government programs business as well as its pharmacy, benefit and clinical review operations. Prime serves more than 26 million individuals through its management of coverage to health insurers, employers and those on Medicaid and Medicare.

Before joining Prime in 2013, Fries was the senior vice president of Solution and Industry Development for UnitedHealth Group Company's subsidiary Optum. Fries was responsible for leading the development of integrated analytic, professional services and technology offerings for government clients. While at Optum, Fries also advised government program payers and providers on topics, such as health reform and risk-adjusted payment systems.

Other roles previously held by Fries include being the business unit financial manager for the Pillsbury Company and an analyst at Kimberly-Clark.

“Scott has a clear vision of the needs of all of our members and clients,” Prime President and CEO Jim DuCharme said. “His proven expertise in strategy development and issues management coupled with his deep knowledge of government programs and Prime’s operations, functions and programs, is invaluable to Prime’s future success.”