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David G. Knott

Senior PartnerNew York

Leads the firm’s Center for US Health System Reform and Medicaid work, drawing on 30 years of experience with national and regional payers, health systems, state Medicaid programs, and large employers.

David coleads McKinsey’s Center for US Health System Reform. Over the past three decades, he has worked with many leading health insurers, providers, state health agencies, and large employers. He advises clients on both strategy development as well as transformation programs, including care delivery and payment model innovation, administrative and medical cost restructuring, future operating visions, organization redesigns, capability-building efforts, and M&A integration.

David is passionate about making high-quality healthcare affordable for everyone, particularly the most disadvantaged, and led the launch of the firm’s Medicaid work. He has published on a variety of topics, including Medicaid growth strategies for health insurers, the big data revolution in healthcare, high-performance provider networks to enhance affordable quality, and managing US healthcare costs. Over the past few years, he has served as a keynote speaker for over 100 companies and industry forums, including America’s Health Insurance Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Health Datapalooza, National Governors Association, National Institute for Health Care Management, and World Health Care Congress.

Within McKinsey, David is an enthusiastic advocate for advancing the careers of our female professionals. Outside the firm, he is an ardent supporter of the arts and serves on the advisory boards of the New York Metropolitan Opera and the Manhattan School of Music. David and his wife, Françoise Girard, helped launch a baroque summer music festival with Maestro William Christie and Les Arts Florissants. In 2009, he was a David Rockefeller fellow with the Partnership for New York City.

Published work

"Addressing the state of behavioral health in New York City," McKinsey & Company, February 2022

The shift to virtual and home care: An interview with Annie Lamont,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020

Increasing productivity in healthcare: An interview with Allen Karp of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield,” McKinsey & Company, September 2020

The CEO of Blue Shield of California on scaling up coronavirus testing,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020

The exciting news in Medicare is happening at the kitchen table—not on the debate stage,” McKinsey & Company, December 2019

The granularity of Medicaid MCO growth,” McKinsey white paper, April 2017

Maximizing value in high-performance networks,” McKinsey & Company, July 2013

The big-data revolution in US health care: Accelerating value and innovation,” McKinsey & Company, April 2013

Accounting for the Cost of US Healthcare: Pre-Reform Trends and the Impact of the Recession,” McKinsey & Company, December 2011

Past experience

Booz & Company
Senior partner

Education

Oxford University
PhD, political philosophy
MA, political philosophy

Queen’s University
BA, political philosophy