Rita Fryar, MPA
Senior Consultant
Health Management Associates
San Francisco, CA
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Rita Fryar is a nationally recognized Medicare compliance strategist and former federal regulator with more than 20 years of experience. Rita has extensive federal government experience spanning the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Capitol Hill. Her background includes federal oversight activities, supporting CMS national initiatives, addressing regulatory compliance concerns, federal regulatory processes, federal agency operations, and understanding the intersection of healthcare policy and program oversight. Her work centers on translating complex federal guidance into operational solutions that strengthen program performance for Medicare Advantage and Part D organizations.
Before joining Health Management Associates (HMA), Rita founded her own compliance consulting firm, providing strategic advisory services to healthcare organizations, health plans, and industry partners, and served as a Medicare consultant to Contra Costa Health Plan. In that role, she played a key role in the 2027 Medicare Advantage State Medicaid Agency Contract (SMAC) process and advised on dual eligible special needs plan (D-SNP) implementation, combining her regulatory insight with executive-level strategic guidance.
Prior to her consulting work, Rita supported Medicare regulatory oversight for the CMS, serving as a regulator to various plan sponsors nationwide. She led regulatory reviews, guided compliance and network adequacy strategies, and managed high-profile inquiries from Congress and the White House. She also developed policies and training initiatives that reinforced consistency and transparency across CMS regional offices.
Rita has significant experience in Medicare Advantage and Part D regulatory oversight. Drawing on her experience with CMS and health plan operations, she has supported compliance program development, evaluated regulatory requirements, and provided guidance on oversight and correction action processes. Her consulting work includes assisting organizations with strengthening compliance policies, procedures, and operational practices to align with CMS requirements and support program integrity and health plan oversight. Her skills continuously help clients integrate prevention strategies that enhance regulatory performance and audit success.
Her skill in executive leadership and CMS engagement has positioned Rita as a trusted advisor to government and industry executives. She has supported cross-agency coordination, fostered communication between health plans and regulators, and contributed to policy interpretation that improves oversight effectiveness. Her collaborative approach to governance and stakeholder engagement continues through her service on the Greater Vallejo Recreation District Board of Directors, where she contributes to strategic direction and community-focused initiatives.
Rita earned a Master of Public Administration from Golden Gate University and a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in speech communication from California State University, East Bay.