Palak Desai

Palak Desai is a Senior Pharmacy Management Consultant at Milliman since 2022, specializing in strategy, cost and process optimization, and business transformation for large health plans, manufacturers, and Medicaid. Previously, Palak served as Vice President of Pharmacy Actuarial Analytics at Centene Corporation from 2020 to 2022, leading a team to improve pharmacy and medical cost efficiencies and conducting significant studies on medical specialty drugs. Additionally, Palak held leadership roles as Director of State Pharmacy at Meridian and WellCare Health Plans, managing pharmacy benefits for Medicaid and Medicare in Illinois. Earlier career experiences include positions at the University of Illinois Chicago, Walgreens, CVS/Caremark, and Mayo Clinic, with a Doctor of Pharmacy with Honors from the University of Illinois Chicago and an ASHP Accredited Pharmacy Practice Residency from Edward Hines VA Medical Center.