TOM WHARTON

Tom Wharton is the founder and President of Inlet Strategies. Wharton has more than 20 years of policy and political experience, having served as a senior health care advisor in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. 

 

Wharton began his career in 2002 on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  ​In 2008, Wharton returned to Capitol Hill on the legislative staff of Congressman Dan Boren (D-OK), an influential member of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition. The Blue Dog Coalition's political power was at an all-time-high during this period, with a record membership of more than 60 members. 

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Following his work in the U.S. House of Representatives, Wharton became the senior health care policy advisor to Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT). He led Senator Lieberman's work on all health care-related matters, including Medicare and Medicaid reform. Wharton also advised Senator Lieberman, then-Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, on his efforts to reform to the U.S. military's Tricare program, the U.S. Postal Service health insurance program, and the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program.

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After Senator Lieberman announced his retirement in 2012, Wharton joined the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), whose health care plans insure more than 107 million Americans. During that time, Wharton was BCBSA's principal liaison to the majority staffs of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. 

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Wharton went into private practice in 2017, where he has represented multiple Fortune 500 companies and health care trade associations.